EROSION | A stretch of the Balatan-Nabua National Road in Balatan, Camarines Sur, is rendered impassable on Sunday, July 23, 2023, after rains dumped by Severe Tropical Storm Egay triggered soil erosion. (Photo from the Facebook page of the Balatan Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office)
LEGAZPI CITY, Albay, Philippines — Severe Tropical Storm Egay (international name: Doksuri) on Sunday brought moderate to heavy rains that triggered floods in Pampanga province and prompted the suspension of land and sea travel in some parts of the Bicol region.
Egay, which later intensified into a typhoon, brought rains spawned by the southeast monsoon (“habagat”) that had been pouring earlier in the week, inundating at least 67 villages in Pampanga, according to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC).
The floods had since receded but 19 villages remained submerged in water, the PDRRMC said in a report on Sunday.
With Egay dumping more rains into the province, the PDRMMC had readied personnel, equipment, and supplies to respond to any situation that may arise, although the province is not on the direct path of the storm, said PDRRMC action officer Angelina Blanco in an interview on Sunday.
Over 5-foot-deep high tide and monsoon rains caused flooding in the coastal towns of Lubao, Bacolor, Mexico, Apalit, Macabebe, Masantol, and Minalin, the PDRRMC said.
There were 80 families (268 people) who were evacuated in the towns of Macabebe and Bacolor but had returned home as of Sunday, the disaster response body said.
According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the floods in Pampanga have affected 39,681 families or 127,011 people.
Forecast
While there was no tropical cyclone wind signal hoisted anywhere in the country as of Sunday, Egay was projected to reach typhoon category within 24 hours and may become a supertyphoon on Tuesday, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) in its 5 p.m. bulletin on Sunday.
Egay was packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and a gustiness of up to 115 kph as it moved westward at 15 kph. Its center was located some 560 km east of Daet, Camarines Norte, Pagasa said.
According to Pagasa, Egay was expected to have a close approach to land, or might even make landfall, in the vicinity of extreme northern Luzon on Wednesday before heading for Taiwan on Thursday.
In Bicol, most interisland sea travels were suspended on Sunday as “Egay” caused rough seas along the eastern seaboards of Luzon and Visayas.
In a 5 a.m. advisory, Lt. Esperanza Lazaro of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) station in Catanduanes said all small watercraft with 250 gross tonnages or less were advised not to venture into the sea because of the expected strong gale force wind.
The larger vessels were also alerted of possible big waves and rough seas.
In Camarines Sur and Sorsogon provinces, the PCG also suspended the operation of the same type of vessels as Egay was also expected to affect the northern coast of the province.
In Daet town in Camarines Norte, Mayor Benito Ochoa had ordered a “no sailing policy” on Saturday for small sea vessels.
“This is to ensure the safety of our constituents especially the fisherfolks from the storm,” Ochoa said in an advisory.
In Balatan town of Camarines Sur, disaster response officials warned motorists to take precautions in traveling along Balatan-Nabua National Road after heavy rains caused soil erosion at the roadside along Barangay Cabanban at around 2 p.m. on Sunday.
The Balatan municipal disaster risk reduction and management office said the Siramag-Luluasan spillway, connecting the villages of Pararao and Camangahan, was also rendered impassable to light vehicles on Saturday night.
Storm and transport strike
In Bacoor City in Cavite province, Mayor Strike Revilla issued an order on Sunday to suspend all classes and work in government offices on Monday due to Egay and in anticipation of the scheduled transport strike.
Only those offices involved in the delivery of essential public services and in disaster response were directed to continue working, Revilla said.
The suspension of work for private companies and offices is left to the discretion of their respective management, the mayor added.