No major damage from ‘Florita’

- Advertisement -

But 25 areas under storm signal warnings

“FLORITA” made landfall in Maconacon town in Isabela yesterday morning, several hours after intensifying into a severe tropical storm.

No major effect on life and property has so far been reported but Florita prompted the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to place 25 areas under storm signal warnings.

Florita was forecast to exit the Philippine area of responsibility this morning. It is expected to be in the southern part of China on Thursday morning and in the vicinity of Guanzi, China on Friday morning.

- Advertisement -

Mark Timbal, spokesman of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said the agency has yet to receive a report of damage from Florita.

PAGASA, in a bulletin issued at 8 p.m. yesterday, said five areas were under Signal No. 3 — Ilocos Norte, northwestern portion of mainland Cagayan, southwestern portion of Babuyan Islands, and the northern and central portions of Apayao.

Nine areas were under Signal No. 2 — Kalinga, Abra, northern and central portions of Ilocos Sur, rest of Apayao, northern portion of Mountain Province, rest of mainland Cagayan, rest of Babuyan Islands, and northern portion of Isabela.

Eleven areas were under Signal No. 1. These were Batanes, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Ifugao, Benguet, La Union, rest of Isabela, rest of Mountain Province, rest of Ilocos Sur, and the northern and central portions of Aurora

PAGASA said Florita intensified into a severe tropical storm early morning yesterday and made landfall at around 10:30 a.m. in Maconacon town. It slightly weakened in the afternoon while traversing Apayao province but remained a severe tropical storm.

As of 7 p.m. yesterday, Florita was in the coastal waters of Burgos in Ilocos Norte. the area of Kabugao town in Apayao. It was moving northwestward at 25 kph and packing maximum sustained winds of 100 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 165 kph.

While Florita was forecast to exit this morning, signal warnings may be maintained in some areas because “the northwestern boundary of PAR from Northern Luzon area is very near,” said PAGASA senior weather specialist Chris Perez.

“We are not ruling out the possibility that even if it’s already outside PAR, we will still have warning signals in some areas in Northern Luzon,” Perez said in a press briefing.

PAGASA said moderate to heavy with at times intense rains will still be experienced today in the Ilocos Region and Benguet and Abra provinces.

Also today, PAGASA said Zambales, Bataan and the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region will also experience light to moderate with at times heavy rains.

LIGHT RAINS, WINDS

Elizabeth Binag, spokeswoman of the Isabela provincial government, said Florita did not have that much effect on the province.

“Hindi naman masyadong naramdaman dito, hindi naman masyadong strong winds, moderate winds lang and moderate rains. (It was not felt that much here, no strong winds, only moderate winds and moderate winds),” she said.

In the province’s capital Ilagan City, Binag said they did not experience much rain and the wind was not also that strong.

As of yesterday afternoon, Binag said they have yet to receive reports of damaged houses. But she said there were fallen tree branches and some corn crops were flattened by winds.

Binag said some areas were flooded but they are not community-wide. “Just roads, not communities,” she said. As of yesterday afternoon, there are no more flooded areas in the province.

BRIDGES

- Advertisement -spot_img

Binag said four overflow bridges were not passable due to swelling of Cagayan river.

Citing information from the PNP, Binag said 285 families or 1,067 individuals in towns of Maconacon, Benito Soliven, Divilacan, Sto Tomas, Cabagan and Cauayan City have evacuated to 18 evacuation centers.

“There’s no casualty reported,” added Binag.

Capt. Rigor Pamitan, spokesman of the Army’s 5th Infantry Division based in Isabela said, “Some areas were flooded, some overflow bridges are not passable and there are evacuees in some municipalities.”

“It’s more of the rain and flooding,” said Pamitan when asked on the effect of Florita.

In the nearby Cagayan province, Pamitan said, at least 56 families or 519 individuals from seven towns were evacuated. A road in Baggao town and two bridges in Peñablanca town were declared not passage due to flooding, he also said.

Pamitan said one person was reported injured in Enrile town after being hit by a fallen tree. No one was reported killed in the province, said Pamitan.

In terms of damage to property in the entire Cagayan Valley region, Pamitan said: “As of now, we have not received report of destruction of any property.”

WORK, CLASS SUSPENSION

President Marcos Jr. suspended work in all government offices and classes in all levels in all public schools in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, Zambales and Bataan, from Tuesday to Wednesday.

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said for private schools and private offices, the decision is left to the discretion of their respective heads.

Angeles said the suspension stemmed from recommendations of the Office of Civil Defense that warned that “heavy rains pose possible risks to the general public.”

Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo said family food packs and non-food relief items have been prepositioned in areas within the storm path.

Tulfo also said areas affected by Florita, especially Isabela and Cagayan, are being closely monitored after these were placed under Signal No. 3.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority suspended the implementation of the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program, or “number coding” scheme in the metropolis.

The suspension will remain in place until today.

“In view of the suspension of work and classes by Malacañang and due to heavy rains brought by severe tropical storm Florita, the MMDA’s expanded number coding scheme is suspended today, August 23, and tomorrow, August 24,” the agency said in an advisory.

The agency also suspended the Tuesday’s operations of its Pasig River Ferry Service which operates 13 stations in Pasig, Mandaluyong, Makati and Manila.

Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo also suspended work in all SC offices today, Wednesday, due to the inclement weather brought by “Florita.’”

Gesmundo said the suspension “will prevent any untoward incidents and will ensure the safety of the Justices, officials and employees.”

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri approved a motion of Senate majority leader Joel Villanueva to suspend sessions until 3 p.m. of August 30 due to bad weather.

Zubiri said chairpersons of different committees can still conduct hearings of they want to with the permission of the secretariat.

Zubiri said the Senate will resume sessions on Tuesday next week since Monday is a holiday being it National Heroes Day.

The Senate holds sessions only from Monday to Wednesday. — With Jocelyn Montemayor, Ashzel Hachero, and Raymond Africa

Author

- Advertisement -

Share post: