TROPICAL depression “Carina” is forecast to intensify into a typhoon but will remain far from the Philippine landmass, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) yesterday said.
In a bulletin issued at 5 p.m. yesterday, PAGASA said Carina was some 365 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora as of 4 p.m. Sunday.
It said Carina is almost stationary even and packing maximum sustained winds of 85 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph.
PAGASA said Carina is forecast to “steadily intensify over the next four days due to favorable environment” and is expected to bring rains in Cagayan, Isabela and Batanes.
“It is forecast to become a severe tropical storm by tonight (Sunday night) and reach typhoon category tomorrow (Monday) evening. Rapid intensification within the forecast period is possible,” it added.
The weather bureau did not rule out the possibility of hoisting wind signal No. 1 over extreme northern Luzon and the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan last night or today “in anticipation of strong winds associated with Carina.”
PAGASA said Carina is also enhancing the southwest monsoon, bringing rains in the western portion of Luzon.
PAGASA said that “over the Philippine Sea, Carina is forecast to move generally north-northwestward to northward from (Sunday) until Tuesday.”
“On the track forecast, Carina will remain far from the Philippine landmass and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday night or Thursday early morning while moving near the islands in the Ryukyu archipelago,” the weather bureau said.
Once outside the PAR, Carina is forecast to turn generally northwestward on Thursday over the East China Sea.
Carina and “Butchoy” are the third and second tropical cyclones to hit the country this year, respectively. They developed into a tropical depression last Friday, though Butchoy exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Saturday.
GOVT AID
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) yesterday said more than P3 million worth of food and non-food relief items have been provided to 17,236 families or 68,248 persons who were affected by Butchoy from 119 barangays in the Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas and Caraga regions last week.
Data from the DSWD Disaster Response Management showed that 442 families (1,933 persons) were displaced due to Butchoy, which started as a low-pressure area and developed into a tropical depression last July 19.
Of those who were displaced, DSWD said 268 families (1,273 persons) stayed in seven evacuation centers, while 174 families (660 persons) stayed with relatives or friends.
As this developed, the DSWD also said it had distributed more than P72.656 million worth of food and non-food relief items to those affected by the Intertropical Convergence Zone (P34.78 million) and the southwest monsoon (P37.876 million), which have caused continuous rains and floodings in several areas.
Data from the agency’s Disaster Response Management showed that 97,561 families (487,392 persons) from regions VI (Central Visayas), IX (Zamboanga Peninsula), XI (Davao), XII (Soccsksargen) and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) were affected by the ITCZ, which left 1,241 families (5,990 persons) in 13 evacuation centers and 31 families (153 persons) staying with relatives or friends.
There were 572 houses damaged due to the ITCZ and 131 houses due to the southwest monsoon.
The southwest monsoon also affected 118,814 families (577,081 persons) from regions VII (Central Visayas), IX, X (Northern Mindanao), XII and BARMM, which left 3,484 families (13,523 persons) staying in 32 evacuation centers and 31,492 families (157,378 persons) staying with relatives or friends. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
