FLOODWATER RISING A team from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao government rescues residents as floodwater rises at Sultan Mastura town in Maguindanao.—ARMM-HEART PHOTO
Tropical Depression “Domeng” is expected to become a tropical storm within two days as it heads north, but will likely spare the Philippine landmass, the weather bureau said on Wednesday.
“We still do not see ‘Domeng’ making landfall throughout the outlook period,” Chris Perez, senior weather specialist of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said in a press briefing on Wednesday.
But heavy rains in parts of the Visayas and Mindanao have forced school officials to suspend classes on Wednesday.
Pagasa said Domeng would bring moderate to occasional heavy rains over Eastern Visayas and Bicol regions. It was forecast to be moving at a northwesterly direction over the Philippine Sea at a speed of 15 kilometers per hour.
Moderate to heavy rains
It is expected to be at 835 km east of Casiguran town in Aurora province on Friday and about 1,030 km east of Basco town in Batanes province by Saturday morning.
However, Domeng is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon, and will trigger moderate to occasional heavy rains especially over Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) and Western Visayas regions, including Metro Manila in the next three days, Perez said.
“Even if the rain level on our charts looks to be weak, but if this is prolonged and consistent, it will still be dangerous, and should be considered a threat due to flash floods and landslides,” he said.
Domeng will be at the nearest point to the Philippine landmass on Friday morning and is expected to reach tropical storm level (87 to 110 kph intensity).
In Mindanao, at least 15,000 public elementary and high school students in Midsayap, Libungan and Pigcawayan towns in North Cotabato province were sent home after classes were suspended on Wednesday morning.
These towns share borders with Maguindanao province, where some areas have been flooded since Saturday due to continuous rain.
Evacuation
In Maguindanao, floods hit several areas as water levels at Liguasan Marsh and Rio Grande River rose following heavy rain.
The flooding on Saturday prompted 60 families to flee their homes in Sultan Mastura town. However, no new report of evacuation of residents was received by local officials on Wednesday.
No resident was reported to have died in floods in Sultan Mastura but more than 60 farm animals, including carabaos and cows, drowned.
Emma Ali, Maguindanao social welfare and development officer, said evacuees, many of them had gone home, were given food packs and other assistance.
In Misamis Oriental province, classes from kindergarten to high school were also suspended in the towns of Initao, Gitagum and Manticao on Wednesday although there was no report of flooding in these areas.
In the Visayas, classes were suspended in Biliran and Naval towns in Biliran province due to heavy rains and strong winds on Wednesday.—REPORTS FROM MELVIN GASCON, WILLIAMOR MAGBANUA, EDWIN FERNANDEZ, DIVINA SUSON, FRINSTON LIM AND JOEY GABIETA