Pagasa: More rains seen in Mindanao

BRIDGE WASHED AWAY. Hundreds of commuters and vehicles are stranded following the collapse of the Lapayan-Napo Bridge, which used to link Zamboanga Peninsula to Iligan City and Northern Mindanao. RICHEL V. UMEL/INQUIRER MINDANAO

Huge waves destroyed homes in Jolo, Sulu, leaving hundreds of families homeless, as a low pressure area (LPA) continued to bring rains over large portions of Mindanao, the Visayas and Bicol.

The weather bureau said the accumulated rainfall since the start of the year in several areas of the Visayas and Mindanao had already exceeded normal levels for the entire month of January.

The heavy rains have brought flash floods and landslides, killing at least 20 people and displacing more than 100,000 people mainly in areas devastated by Typhoon “Pablo” in 2012.

In a press conference at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), weather specialist Chris Perez said the LPA was almost stationary, hovering over a part of Southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

Perez said that as of 4 p.m., Tuesday, the center of the LPA was spotted 50 kilometers south of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, or 80 km northeast of Surigao City.

Perez pointed out that the amount of rainfall from Jan. 1 to Jan. 14 in nine areas of the Visayas and Mindanao—the Surigao provinces; Lumbia in Cagayan de Oro; Dipolog City; Butuan City; Tacloban City; Tagbilaran City; Mactan town in Cebu; Maasin town in Leyte; and the Davao provinces—had already exceeded normal levels for the entire month of January.

778 mm in two weeks

The biggest volume of rainfall in the first two weeks was recorded in the Surigao provinces, reaching 777.6 millimeters—higher than the 609.4-mm normal level for the whole month of January.

Acting Pagasa Administrator Vicente Malano said the LPA generating so much rain was not an isolated case. He said that it was usually during this period that rains would pound Mindanao.

“It is caused by the interaction of the LPA with the amihan (northeast monsoon) and other weather systems below the equator like the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ).

Although it is far, it still has an effect,” he said.

Two to three days

Perez said that rainy weather was expected to continue over the eastern sections of the Visayas and Mindanao as well as over the Bicol region in the next two to three days.

He warned of possible flash floods and landslides in the Davao provinces, Compostela Valley, Surigao provinces, Bukidnon, Misamis provinces, Dinagat Island, Leyte, Samar, Bohol, Cebu, Masbate, Sorsogon, Albay, Catanduanes and Camarines provinces.

More flights canceled

At Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), domestic flights continued to be canceled on Tuesday due to the LPA that was bringing bad weather not only to Mindanao but also to the Visayas and Bicol.

As of 1 p.m. on Tuesday, 22 Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia Zest flights had been canceled at Naia Terminal 3 and Terminal 4.

Close to 2,500 passengers and over a hundred vehicles were stranded since Monday evening at the Matnog port in Sorsogon while a 4-kilometer queue of vehicles was waiting to get to the port amid a shortage of roll-on, roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessels to bring them across to the port of Allen in Samar.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-Bicol director, Rafael Bernardo Alejandro, quoting a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) report, said that as of noon Tuesday, 2,500 passengers, 182 trucks, 20 cars and 57 buses were at the Matnog port waiting for their cue to board available Ro-Ro vessels bound for the Allen port.

Jolo wharf

PO2 Alfradzkhan Abdurajak, acting spokesman of the Sulu police office, said four villages on the coast of Jolo were affected by the huge waves.

Some portions of the Jolo wharf were also damaged by the giant waves, he reported on Monday. No casualties was reported.

Abdurajak said a food supply problem, particularly on meat, vegetables and spices, had started to develop in Jolo since Sunday because no sea vessel could venture out to Zamboanga City due to the huge waves.

More devastation, including the collapse of Lumao Bridge in Barangay (village)  Alegria in Cateel, Davao Oriental, was reported on Tuesday.

The bridge was one of the eight major bridges damaged in Davao Oriental due to the torrential rains.

Dinagat slide

In Dinagat Islands, the Office of the Civil Defense in Northern Mindanao confirmed the death of six residents due to a landslide that buried a portion of the mining area of Cagdianao on Monday.

The Cagdianao slide, which buried three homes, was among similar incidents reported in Caraga, said the Office of Civil Defense director, Liza Mazo.

Mazo said that based on the report reaching her office, the victims of the Cagdianao slide were trying to leave their homes in Barangay Poblacion following an evacuation advice but cascading rocks and mud from a nearby slope caught up with them.

“We have already issued a public warning about the possible landslides in Dinagat because there are many higher areas characterized with mud,” Mazo told the Inquirer by phone.

Killed were Atanacio Geltura 62; Realyn Geltura, 41; Michelle Geltura, 34; Felixberto Muñoz, 34; Alqueder Muñoz, 2; and Primitivo Morales, 33.

Two others were plucked alive from a mountain of debris in a rescue operation that authorities had launched.

“It was unfortunate the other victims were not able to make it,” Mazo said.

Acting Dinagat Gov. Benglen Ecleo said the provincial government had sent a team to clear the roads leading to the town center of debris to restore access to some communities that the landslides had cut off.

Landslides and flash floods also killed 14 people, including children, in Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental and Agusan del Sur since Saturday, when the LPA intensified.

In Surigao del Norte, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer Gilbert Gonzales said several areas were also flooded, while a person was reported missing.

On Monday, evacuations of residents continued as flooding persisted in many areas.

Nearly 130,000 displaced

In Southern Mindanao alone, which groups the four Davao provinces and Compostela Valley, nearly 130,000 people had been displaced as of Tuesday. The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said more displacements may be expected in the coming days.

At least 33 roads and bridges were also damaged in the region alone.

In Compostela Valley for example, most of the roads there are still not passable to light vehicles, according to Raul Villocino, the provincial disaster action officer.

In Davao del Norte, Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario ordered the suspension of classes due to the foul weather.

State of calamity

Several local government units in Davao del Norte have been placed under a state of calamity as a result of the flooding.

In Davao Oriental, Gov. Corazon Malanyaon reported that “all possible routes to the east coast towns (Manay, Caraga, Baganga, Cateel and Boston) were inaccessible, hampering the transport of relief goods.

Malanyaon said 83 villages were affected either by landslides or flash floods that displaced a total of 4,909 families.

Houses swept away

“Among the areas heavily affected are the towns on the eastern seaboard and parts of the province’s gulf towns that include the village of Marayag in Lupon that endured massive flash floods sweeping away houses while carrying down huge rocks and debris to the village’s center,” she said.

Malanyaon said she had asked the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to declare a state of calamity in the province.

No-build zones

She said residents in the heavily flooded areas would not be allowed to rebuild their homes there, which would be included among the danger zones in the province.

In Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte, at least 1,285 people were displaced when floods hit the coastal village of Lapinig on Monday.

The Lapinig village chair, Pacita Simbrano, said a 3-km-long debris caused by a landslide near the village momentarily cut traffic between Zamboanga del Sur and Lanao del Norte.

Tacloban City

The nonstop rain since last week has caused water to rise knee-deep in some areas in Tacloban City, fueling fears among residents.

Classes in the elementary and high school levels, both in public and private, were suspended in the city on Tuesday afternoon.

Elizabeth Dacatimbang, a resident of Barangay 85 in San Jose district, said she got scared when the unabated rain caused water to rise.

“In fact, we are now preparing our things just in case we will evacuate,” said the 54-year-old mother.—Reports from Allan Nawal, Chris Panganiban, Julie S. Alipala and Richel V. Umel, Inquirer Mindanao; Joey Gabieta, Inquirer Visayas;  Mar S. Arguelles Shiena Barrameda, Southern Luzon; Jaymee T. Gamil and Jerry Esplanada in Manila

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