With ‘Dindo’ gone, weather will be good

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MANILA, Philippines—Tropical Storm “Dindo” exited the Philippines early Friday, but not before inundating much of northern Luzon.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration has promptly lowered all storm signals and the weather situation in the country is expected to improve by Sunday.

“The weather in Manila will be fair. By Sunday, the entire country will have good weather,” said Pagasa forecaster Aldczar Aurelio.

Dindo (international name Doksuri) brought moderate to heavy rains to the northern Luzon provinces before and after hitting land in the Calayan group of islands on Thursday night.

Among those affected were Sinait, Ilocos Sur; Laoag City, Ilocos Norte; Aparri and Tuguegarao, Cagayan; Iba and Subic in Zambales; Clark, Pampanga; the Calayan Group, and Baguio City.

Since making landfall on an island, the storm maintained its peak winds of 75 kilometers per hour and gustiness of 90 kph as it veered west northwest at 19 kph out of the Philippine area of responsibility toward China.

“It will continue to dump moderate to heavy rains over the West Philippine Sea. That’s why the sea will be rough to very rough in the seaboards of Luzon, and fishing boats are advised not to venture out,” forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said.

But even with Dindo out of the country, Aurelio warned that the southwest monsoon will continue to bring occasional to frequent rains over northern and Central Luzon which could trigger landslides and flashfloods.

The weather bureau said a low pressure area building up over the Pacific Ocean is still too far to affect the archipelago, and is forecast to enter the Philippine area of responsibility on Monday.

Meanwhile, the effects of Dindo continue to linger in the affected areas of northern Luzon.

In the coastal community of Minanga, Barangay Namuac, Sanchez Mira, Cagayan, residents are anxious about the fate of three missing fishermen.

Thirty-one fishermen on eight motorboats, left the village Wednesday morning, despite reports of the impending storm. They were expected to head back home on the same day. All the other boats, except for one with the three missing fishermen, were able to return or dock in various ports and islands.

A village chief said the boat, manned by Digmar Borromeo, Lagrito Asuncion and Nestor Borromeo, may have run out of fuel.

All 31 fishermen defied warnings about the storm. “People here have needs. ‘What is my family going to eat?’ they asked me,” said the village chief.

In Laoag City, dozens of motorists remain stranded along the national road in the northern town of Bangui because of a damaged bridge.

The Buagaw Bridge in Bangui was under repair before the storm pounded the province. An alternate road that was set up along the river was washed out by surging waters at the height of the storm, leaving commuters, mostly traders and cargo trucks, stranded on Thursday. The bridge connects Ilocos Norte to Cagayan Valley.

Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, who visited stranded motorists on Friday, said the damaged road also spoiled tourism activities in the province, noting that local officials of the Visayas cluster of the League of Mayors of the Philippines had canceled their scheduled tour to Pagudpud upon learning that the road was impassable.

Dindo dumped 67 millimeters of rainfall on Baguio City, but no landslides were reported, according to the Office of Civil Defense in the Cordilleras.

The rains also forced the closure of six national roads, the OCD said. Road crews are working to repair erosions at the Tabuk-Banaue Road in Kalinga.

In Mt. Province, rock slides blocked the Tikitik section of the Baguio-Bontoc Road and two sections along the Junction Talubin-Barlig-Natonin-Paracelis-Callacad Road, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways. With reports from Cristina Arzadon and Vincent Cabreza, Inquirer Northern Luzon