Scores missing, injured as ‘Juaning’ pounds Luzon
MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm “Juaning” continues to pound Luzon as it heads north, leaving one dead, several people injured and missing and forcing authorities to suspend classes.
Heavy rains left various low-lying areas in Metro Manila submerged in floodwaters and slippery roads triggered several car accidents. The Department of Education ordered a suspension of afternoon classes up to high school level in the metropolis.
In Catanduanes, where storm signal number 2 is hoisted, a public school teacher died and two fishermen were reported missing amid heavy rains and strong winds spawned by “Juaning,” which on Tuesday intensified from a tropical depression into a tropical storm.
Romulo Angulo, 57, drowned while crossing the flooded Sagrada River in Bagamanoc town, 65 kilometers from Virac, on Monday.
Angulo was trying to cross the river to bring food to his stranded daughter, a fellow teacher at the Minaili Elementary School, according to town Mayor Odilon Pascua in a phone interview.
A fisherman, Ronnie Tablante, 38, was found injured after being reported missing, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said in its 12 noon report Tuesday.
Two other fishermen reported missing were identified as Romeo Robles, 39, and Romeo Balamban, 37, both of Agban, Baras town, who were last seen leaving on board a white and yellow fishing boat on July 24, said a report from the provincial disaster office.
The fisherman from Hitoma, Caramoan, who went missing on the same day, was found in Canlubi, Pandan at 4 p.m. July 25.
Flooding along river crossings of national roads suspended travel to northern town of Catanduanes.
Several villages in Virac are also under water.
Power supply in this capital town has been down since early Tuesday.
Seven fishermen in Eastern Samar were rescued Tuesday morning but 11 others have remained missing since Sunday in Eastern Samar, Catanduanes and Albay, the NDRRMC said.
Rough seas barred eight shipping vessels from leaving the ports in Matnog, Pilar,Tabaco and Pioduran, all in Albay and in Pasacao, Camarines Sur. This left about 630 passengers and 38 vehicles stranded.
As of 11 a.m., Juaning was moving at a speed of 19 kilometers per hour west-northwest and “posing a real threat” to Quezon and Aurora provinces, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services said. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kph and gusts of up to 80 kph.
Catanduanes, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Quezon including Polillo Island and Aurora were placed under storm Signal No. 2.
Signal No. 1 was hoisted over Apayao, Cagayan, Abra, Kalinga, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Mt. Province, Isabela, Ifugao, La union, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Marinduque, Burias Island, Sorsogon and Metro Manila.
As of 6 a.m., two of nine water dams were nearing their spilling level. La Mesa Dam in Quezon City, with 80.15 meters spilling level, registered a 79.17 meters of water, NDRRMC. The Ipo Dam in Bulacan had 99.89 meters of water of its 100.87 meters spilling level.
