TS Ramon pounds E. Visayas, Bicol; N. Luzon landfall seen

Pagasa satellite image as of 2:40 am, November 14, 2019

Provinces in Bicol and Eastern Visayas should brace for rainy weather as Tropical Storm “Ramon” barrels toward northern Luzon this week, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Wednesday.

Ramon was still expected to make landfall on Saturday in Aurora and Isabela provinces, according to Pagasa weather specialist Benison Estareja.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Signal No. 2 had been raised in Catanduanes province and Signal No. 1 in the provinces of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar.

The storm was estimated at 390 kilometers east of Catarman, Northern Samar, at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. It was packing peak winds of up to 65 km per hour near the center and gusts of up to 80 kph.

It has slowed down to 10 kph, but continues to move west-northwest.

Stranded passengers

In Bicol, classes were suspended on Wednesday noon in Catanduanes, Albay and Camarines Sur.

The Philippine Coast Guard  has ordered a “no-sailing” policy because of rough seas.

At least 223 boat passengers were stranded—193 at the port in Tabaco City, Albay, and 25 at Virac and San Andres ports in Catanduanes.

Ninety-eight trucks and 16 vessels were not allowed to continue their trips.

Albay Gov. Al Francis Bichara directed disaster authorities to advise residents living along river channels not to cross swollen waterways.

Claudio Yucot, director of the Office of Civil Defense in Bicol, said Ramon would bring light to moderate with occasional heavy rains over the region.

Yucot, who also chairs the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said the storm, if it would worsen, could trigger flooding, lahar and mudflow in low-lying areas, storm surges off coastal villages and landslides in upland areas.

Local disaster councils were placed on full alert and directed to implement response and contingency plans.

Angat Dam

Rains brought by Ramon were not expected to increase the water level in Angat Dam, which supplies the  water requirements of Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Pagasa hydrologist Danilo Flores said the storm must pass directly over the Angat watershed for it to have any considerable effect on the dam’s water level.

As of 6 a.m. on Wednesday, the water level was 188.47 meters, a dip of 0.1 meter from the previous day.

Pagasa is also monitoring another tropical storm, “Fengshen,” outside the Philippine area of responsibility. As of Wednesday afternoon, it was spotted 3,245 km east of southern Luzon.

It was not expected to hit the country based on its current track, Estareja said.