THREE areas were placed under wind signal No. 4 due to “Emong” which intensified into typhoon yesterday prior to possible landfall in Pangasinan, La Union or Ilocos Sur, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
Under Signal No. 4 were the southwestern portion of Ilocos Sur, northwestern portion of La Union, and the extreme northwestern portion of Pangasinan. Threats to life and property in areas under Signal No. 4 are “significant to severe,” PAGASA said.
Twenty-eight other areas are under lower wind signals, PAGASA said in a bulletin issued at 8 p.m. yesterday.
The 31 areas are in four regions in Luzon.
The number of fatalities from the combined effects of tropical cyclones “Crising,” “Dante,” and Emong and the southwest monsoon has climbed to 19, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.
Some 3.33 million people across the country have been affected.
Malacañang again suspended classes and work today.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said suspended are classes in all levels in Metro Manila and 35 provinces — Ilocos Sur, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, Ilocos Norte, Abra, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Tarlac, Pampanga, Laguna, Cavite, Babuyan Group of Islands, Batangas, Cagayan, Isabela, Apayao, Kalinga, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Rizal, Quezon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Palawan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Albay.
Government agencies in these said areas which are responsible for basic, vital and health services, preparedness and response duties must continue to remain operational to ensure continuity of essential government functions while non-vital government employees of such agencies and all other government employees in the same areas shall be on alternate work arrangement, either as part of the skeleton workforce or under a work from home arrangement.
Local chief executives in other areas may implement localized cancellation or suspension of classes and/or work. Suspension and/or adoption of alternate work arrangements in private companies and offices is left to the discretion of their respective heads.
The NDRRMC said three of the 19 deaths have been validated — one each in Central Luzon, Northern Mindanao and Caraga. The 16 others — four in the National Capital Region, three each in Calabarzon and Negros Island Region, two each in Western Visayas and Northern Mindanao, and one each in Mimaropa and Davao – are still being verified.
The NDRRMC said the weather systems have affected 926,674 families (3.3 million persons) in 17 out of the country’s 18 regions as of 6 p.m. yesterday.
Of the number, 78,681 families have been displaced. However, the number was already down to 25,810 families (104,020) as of last night.
Of the still displaced, 46,989 families are staying at 1,149 evacuation centers and 25,810 families are with relatives or friends.
SIGNALS
Seven areas were placed under Signal No. 3 — southern portion of Ilocos Norte, rest of Ilocos Sur, rest of La Union, northern and western portions of Pangasinan, Abra, western portion of Mountain Province, and the western portion of Benguet.
Eleven areas were under Signal No. 2 – Kalinga; Apayao; Ifugao; Babuyan Islands; rest of Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan, Mountain Province, and Benguet; northern and western portions of mainland Cagayan; western portion of Nueva Vizcaya; and northern portion of Zambales.
Ten areas are under Signal No. 1 – Batanes; Quirino; Tarlac; rest of Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya, Zambales; western and central portions of Isabela, northern portion of Bataan and Pampanga; and the western and central portions of Nueva Ecija.
Potential impacts to life and property in areas under Signal No. 3, 2 and 1 are “moderate to significant,” “minor to moderate,” and “minimal to minor,” respectively.
Emong intensified into a severe tropical storm (from tropical storm) at around 2 a.m. yesterday and into a typhoon six hours later. It was in the coastal waters of Burgos town in Pangasinan as of 7 p.m. yesterday.
“On the track forecast, the typhoon will make landfall or pass very close to western Pangasinan in the next three hours. The typhoon may also make landfall in La Union or Ilocos Sur this late evening (Thursday) or tomorrow (Friday) early morning,” PAGASA said.
After crossing the mountainous terrain of northern Luzon, Emong will emerge at the Babuyan Channel this morning or noon.
“Afterwards, Emong will move northeastward and pass close or over Babuyan Islands between tomorrow (Friday) noon and afternoon. It may also be passing near Batanes between tomorrow afternoon or evening,” added PAGASA.
PAGASA said Emong may further intensify prior to landfall “due to its compact circulation and favorable atmospheric and oceanic environment.”
Emong and Dante continue to enhance the southwest monsoon which will bring rains to many parts of the country, including Metro Manila, in the next several days.
Tropical depression Dante exited the Philippine area of responsibility at around 2 p.m. yesterday.
A third tropical cyclone with international name “Krosa” is being monitored by PAGASA, though it is not expected to enter the PAR. It was some 2,055 km east of southern Luzon as of 2 p.m. yesterday
The NDRRMC said 964 areas in the affected regions have been flooded. It said 729 of these areas remain flooded as of yesterday, of which 477 are in Central Luzon.
A total of 77 cities and municipalities are under state of calamity — 39 in Central Luzon, 27 in Calabarzon, six in Ilocos, three in Western Visayas, and one each in Mimaropa and NCR.
Meanwhile, a transport plane from the United States is due to bring in equipment to augment the Philippines’ ongoing humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) operations.
Air Force deputy spokesman Maj. Joseph Richard Calma said the KC-135 transport plane will land at Clark Air Base in Pampanga, from Japan.
Calma could not immediately say when the aircraft will arrive.
AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said the aircraft has yet to clear diplomatic protocols.
Calma said fixed-wind and rotary aircraft of the PAF are on standby to help in relief operations. He said these include the C-130 and C-295 transport planes; and Black Hawk and Sokol helicopters. – With Jocelyn Reyes, Ashzel Hachero, Christian Oineza, and Gerard Naval
