1 dead as ‘Henry’ dumps heavy rains in northern Luzon
ALL HANDS ON DECK The Ivatans of Batanes display their unity in times of disaster as they help each ensure that lives and property, like these fishing boats in Itbayat, are safe from the raging sea while Typhoon “Henry” (international name: Hinnamnor) batter the province on Friday. —PHOTO COURTESY OF ITBAYAT MUNICIPAL POLICE
BAGUIO CITY — Rains dumped by Typhoon Henry (international name: Hinnamnor) triggered landslides in the Cordillera region, killing a farmer in Ifugao province, authorities said on Friday.
Police Brig. Gen. Mafelino Bazar, director of the Cordillera police, identified the victim as Renie Omayho Bullan, 37, a resident of Barangay Mongol in Ifugao’s Mayoyao town.
Bullan was taking shelter at his brother’s house during intense rains on Wednesday afternoon when boulders and loose soil destroyed the house, burying him under the rubble. His body was recovered on Thursday.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Bullan was the first death related to Henry.
Landslides were also reported in the towns of Sabangan and Bontoc in Mountain Province, and in Luba town in Abra province.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in a 5 p.m. bulletin that Henry, which was previously a supertyphoon, weakened further as it moved northwestward over the Philippine Sea east northeast of Batanes province.
During a public briefing, NDRRMC spokesperson Raffy Alejandro said Henry was not expected to cause major infrastructure and agriculture damage, except in Batanes and Cagayan provinces.
According to Pagasa, Henry was forecast to exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Saturday evening or Sunday morning.
Signal No. 2 was hoisted over Batanes while Signal No. 1 remained in the Babuyan Group of Islands and the northeastern part of Cagayan as of 11 a.m. on Friday.
CASUALTY Rescue personnel respond to a landslide in Mayoyao town in Ifugao province where a farmer was killed after boulders struck a house on Wednesday during intense rains. The victim’s body was recovered the following day. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CORDILLERA POLICE
Class, work suspension
Batanes Gov. Marilou Cayco on Friday suspended work in government offices in the entire province, which experienced torrential rains with gusty winds.
In an advisory, Cayco said government offices involved in the delivery of basic services and emergency response would continue with their operations.
Earlier, the governor also suspended Friday classes at all levels in public and private schools.
Heavy rains forced the temporary closure of the airport in Batanes’ Basco town and cancellation of flights to the province, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
Government work and classes were also suspended in Calayan town, Cagayan, where gale-force winds prompted fisherfolk to avoid the rough seas. Classes in Baguio City were also suspended due to the heavy rainfall.
In Pampanga province, afternoon classes at all levels were canceled in the capital city of San Fernando on Friday as Henry intensified the “habagat,” or southwest monsoon, which triggered heavy downpour.
The towns of Subic, Castillejos, San Marcelino, Botolan, Masinloc, Palauig and Candelaria in Zambales province also canceled afternoon classes as Pagasa issued an orange rainfall warning in these areas due to the threat of flooding. —REPORTS FROM KIMBERLIE QUITASOL, NATHAN ALCANTARA, VILLAMOR VISAYA JR., JUN MALIG AND JOANNA ROSE AGLIBOT
