Mina’s rains still torment Metro, Luzon

LOOKING FOR GOLD IN GARBAGE. People look for recyclable materials washed ashore in Manila Bay following the downpour brought by the Southwest Moonson and tail of Typhoon “Mina”. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Typhoon “Mina” may have swirled out days ago, but Luzon continued to experience its effects in terms of enhanced monsoon rains.

Bursts of rains spawned by the southwest monsoon on Wednesday hit Metro Manila and some parts of Luzon, triggering pockets of flooding and traffic snarls.

“We’re still experiencing the after-effects of Mina in terms of enhanced southwest monsoon,” said forecaster Ricky Fabregas of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

The bureau estimated the rainfall that hit the metropolis, Central and Northern Luzon at light to moderate.

It forecast that the scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms would prevail over Luzon, and become widespread over the western section, and could cause floods and landslides.

“The gale warning remains up. The coastal waters in the western and eastern seaboards would be rough to very rough,” Vargas said in an interview.

After skirting the archipelago and making landfall in Cagayan in northern Luzon last week, Mina (international codename: Nanmadol) enhanced the southwest monsoon to bring rain over Luzon.

Mina, which packed maximum winds of 195 kilometers per hour, damaged at least P1 billion worth crops and infrastructure, and left a death toll of at least 22, including at least five persons buried alive in a dumpsite in Baguio.

The typhoon slightly weakened before swirling out of the Philippine area of responsibility last Monday. Sudden bursts of monsoon rains have not abated since then.

“Based on our numerical models, we will have better weather by Friday,” Fabregas said.

Unlike Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao had better weather, and would only be partly cloudy to cloudy.

Mina was the 13th cyclone to cross the archipelago, and was by far the strongest typhoon this year.

Pagasa forecast at least three to four cyclones this month, two to three in October, one to two in November, and from zero to one in December, according to Vargas.

Thirty cyclones originate from the Pacific Ocean, and 19 of these swirl into the Philippine area of responsibility every year.