SEVERE Tropical Storm “Carina” (international name: Nida) exited the Philippine area of responsibility on Monday morning, but rainfall in some parts of the country was expected to continue due to the southwest monsoon.
As of 5 p.m. on Monday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Carina no longer had a direct effect on the country.
It forecast, however, moderate to heavy rains over Mimaropa, northern Luzon and the provinces of Zambales and Bataan due to the southwest monsoon.
The areas affected by the monsoon rains were alerted to possible flash floods and landslides, while fisherfolk were warned of rough to very rough seas over the seaboards of northern Luzon, the eastern seaboard of Central Luzon and the western and southern seaboards of southern Luzon.
Fourteen flights were cancelled on Monday as Carina continued to move away from the country and head for China, according to the Manila International Airport Authority.
Philippine Airlines (PAL) cancelled nine of its flights, while Cathay Pacific cancelled five flights due to bad weather in Hong Kong and Macau brought about by the same storm.
A tornado ripped through Batac City, blowing away the roof of the state-run Mariano Marcos State University library building when Carina made landfall in extreme northern Luzon, said Arvin Lumang of the Batac City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
Tillers welcome rain
Farmers in Pangasinan, Isabela and Cagayan welcomed the rain brought by Carina, saying that it came at the right time to irrigate newly planted crops.
In Laoag City, 256 passengers of a PAL flight to Manila were stranded when flights were canceled due to the storm.
In Dingras town, 110 families from the sitios of San Juan and Casabaan in Barangay Baresbes fled their homes due to a spilling river that had not been contained by an incomplete flood control project.
Damaged dike
Mayor Alex Calucag of Solsona town reported the evacuation of 54 families (216 people) in Santa Ana in Barangay Bagbag due to floods and a damaged protection dike.
In Isabela, about 100 families in 10 villages spent Sunday night at evacuation centers in the coastal towns of Divilacan, Maconacon, Palanan and Dinapigue.
In Cagayan, the Office of Civil Defense said 8,000 people evacuated but returned home on Monday.
In Baclayon, Bohol, a twister formed, hitting four villages in the coastal municipality at about 5:30 p.m., damaging 10 houses.
Reports from Leilanie Adriano, Villamor Visaya Jr. and Gabriel Cardinoza, Inquirer Northern Luzon; Nestor P. Burgos Jr. and Leo Udtohan, Inquirer Visayas; Jaymee T. Gamil and Jocelyn R. Uy