‘Ompong’ spares PH; heavy rains in the Visayas

ILOILO CITY, Philippines—Two children were feared drowned and another rescued in Iloilo City as heavy rains since Thursday triggered floods and landslides in Iloilo, Guimaras and Antique.

The three boys were swimming in a river in Barangay Calajunan in Mandurriao District here when they were swept by strong currents, according a report of the Mandurriao police station.

Search and rescue teams are still looking for Anthony Jardeleza, 15, and John Paul Obaredes, 16, as of yesterday afternoon. Their companion, Christian Alegre, 15, was rescued after he managed to cling to a papaya tree.

This developed as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) announced that Supertyphoon “Ompong” (international name: Vongfong) is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility today, sparing the country from the effects of the strongest tropical cyclone since Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) last year.

With maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 220 kph, Ompong maintained its strength on Friday as it moved northward over the Philippine sea.

As of Friday, the eye of the typhoon was 785 kilometers east of Itbayat, Batanes, while the cyclone moved northwards at 13 kph.

The Pagasa said Ompong will be in the vicinity of the southern islands of Japan this afternoon.

At least 420 families or about 2,000 persons were evacuated in at least 12 villages in Mandurriao, Jaro, Lapaz, Arevalo and Molo Districts in Iloilo City as of yesterday noon, according to a report of the city social welfare and development office.

The heavy rains brought by the intertropical convergence zone, which began pouring since Thursday, flooded main streets and residential communities with flood waters reaching from knee to waist high. Several areas were also impassable especially to light vehicles.

In Guimbal town in Iloilo, a storm surge destroyed two houses and damaged two others in Barangay Gerona-Gimeno, according to Jerry Bionat, executive officer of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) in Iloilo.

Bionat said minor landslides were also reported in Lambunao, Cabatuan and Alimodian towns.

In Guimaras, 16 families were evacuated in Barangay New Poblacion in Buenavista town in Guimaras due to flooding, according to Teresita Siasom, PDRRMO executive officer.

At least 1,273 ship passengers have also been stranded in three Visayas ports due to bad weather, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Commander Arnand Balilo, PCG spokesperson, yesterday reported that the stranded passengers were monitored in the following ports: Cebu City, 737; Tagbilaran City, 460, and Bacolod City, 76.With a report from Jerry E. Esplanada

RELATED STORY

Heavy to torrential rains expected Friday in Metro Manila, 6 provinces–Pagasa