ALERT ON FOR A NEW POWERFUL TYPHOON
[PHOTO AT LEFT - Photo is loading... A farmer in Ilagan, Isabela salvages whatever is left of his palay crops damaged by typhoon 'Juan.' JONJON VICENCIO]
MANILA, OCTOBER 21, 2010 (STAR) By Helen Flores - With the country still reeling from the effects of typhoon "Juan," state weather forecasters are monitoring another powerful storm that may hit the country by weekend.
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) weather forecaster Mario Palafox revealed yesterday that another cyclone is developing over the Pacific Ocean about 1,000 kilometers away from the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).
Palafox said the new weather disturbance is expected to enter PAR by Saturday.
Palafox warned that an interaction with Juan by the incoming storm could cause more damage.
He said the developing storm has affected the path of Juan, which explains the typhoon's slow exit from the country.
Palafox also said the presence of two high-pressure areas up north had prevented Juan from going to a higher latitude.
Typhoon Juan (international codename "Megi") remained "almost stationary" over the South China Sea yesterday after leaving at least 15 people dead and much of northern Luzon under a state of calamity, officials said.
Juan continued to unleash rain after its trajectory toward China stalled and it hovered near Luzon.
Palafox said Juan could continue to dump more rains before it starts moving toward southern China.
Juan was spotted some 350 kilometers west of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. The typhoon still packed winds of 175 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of 210 kph, moving slowly in the north-northeast direction of southern China at seven kph.
Pagasa officer-in-charge Graciano Yumul said Juan is expected to linger inside PAR for the next 12 hours or until early today.
Yumul added the new cyclone is expected to enter the PAR on Saturday and take the same path as that of Juan and batter northern Luzon, particularly Isabela and Cagayan, the provinces devastated by the howler last Monday.
Yumul said the new weather disturbance has been categorized as a tropical storm by the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Other weather monitoring agencies, including the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center, also monitored the new cyclone developing some 80 nautical miles off Saipan.
Grisly details
With typhoon Juan almost stationary, storm signals are still up in northern Luzon, particularly in the six provinces of Regions 1 and 3.
Signal No. 1 remains hoisted over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Benguet, Pangasinan and Zambales.
Pagasa said the weather would improve once Juan leaves the Philippine area of responsibility anytime today.
Disaster officials, on the other hand, are scrambling to deliver aid and relief to remote towns in Isabela and Cagayan, the provinces worst hit by the typhoon.
Isabela Gov. Faustino Dy said residents in three coastal towns in the province had suffered massive damage to their homes and were left with limited food supplies after huge waves washed away roads.
"Their food supply is only up to Sunday. But going there is very difficult. These is no road to reach them," Dy told reporters.
Dy said he made an aerial inspection of the damage left by the typhoon. He said that as many as 20,000 people were affected.
He said many had survived by fleeing to higher ground before the typhoon hit.
Regional social welfare chief Arnel Garcia said the government planned to send food and tents to the affected towns of Maconacon, Palanan and Divilacan but that both air and sea travel is still dangerous.
"Helicopters have to pass through the mountains and the mountain ranges are often covered with clouds," Garcia said.
Juan slammed into several areas in northern and central Luzon last Monday, initially leaving 11 people dead and 16 people injured, with an estimated damage to crops and infrastructure amounting to over P4 billion.
Officials raised the death toll to 15 as more detailed reports were compiled yesterday.
National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRCM) executive director and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) administrator Benito Ramos said the province of Pangasinan reported seven dead, Ilocos Sur with one, Cagayan with one, along with Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, Kalinga, Benguet, and Baguio City, each reporting one fatality.
Ramos noted initial reports that as many as 19 perished in the storm but clarified they are yet to be validated.
Disaster officials in Pangasinan led by Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council executive officer Paterno Orduña reported nine people perished in the storm.
The regional OCD said five people perished in Central Luzon, particularly in the towns of Camiling in Tarlac and San Jose City in Nueva Ecija. One is still reported missing in Baler, Aurora.
The extent of damage left by the typhoon also prompted Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane to place the province under a state calamity.
The NDRRMC also reported 63,437 families or 332,299 people were displaced by the typhoon.
[PHOTO AT LEFT - A man carries his dog as he leaves his flooded home in Cabagan, Isabela after rains from typhoon 'Juan' inundated large areas of the province. JONJON VICENCIO]
Out of these numbers, 2,467 families or 11,236 people are staying at 97 evacuation centers in six regions. The rest were staying with relatives.
Ramos said 860 families were left homeless. He said a total 5,249 houses were partially destroyed by the typhoon.
Juan also damaged several school buildings and more than 300 houses in the Cordillera region, Ilocos provinces, Cagayan Valley, including some in Metro Manila.
The OCD added it was still sheltering over 10,000 people in evacuation centers across northern Luzon while roads are being cleared.
More relief
US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. said in a statement that US military personnel and equipment that were already in the country for joint military exercises would be diverted for typhoon relief.
"My embassy team is in constant contact with Philippine authorities and NGO (non-government organizations) representatives to determine how we can be of further assistance," Thomas said.
Thomas instructed the US embassy to provide aid through the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance of the US Agency for International Development. USAID plans to make available $100,000 to help those affected by the typhoon.
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton relayed condolences for the damage and loss of life from Juan.
"We are working closely with Philippine authorities to offer additional assistance as needed. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Luzon and all Filipinos affected by this tragedy," Clinton said.
Malacañang yesterday assured the public that donations would reach their intended recipients.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Malacañang has not officially solicited foreign support as the government has yet to receive a complete assessment of the damage caused by the typhoon.
"From what I understand, there are still areas that are considered isolated, and we are still trying to send our workers there to assess damage," Valte said.
She said the Department of Agriculture (DA) has managed to give an assessment of damage on corn and palay production.
The DA reported the total damage to crops had amounted to P4.77 billion.
Valte added President Aquino is planning to visit the areas affected by the typhoon.
"Any aid and any thoughts and condolences on the loss of the 12 lives is highly appreciated," Valte said.
"Rest assured that that assistance will certainly go to the ones who most need them," she said.
Energy officials also assured the public of the restoration of power in affected areas in northern Luzon.
The typhoon had toppled power lines and transmission towers, mostly in Cagayan and Isabela, leaving many towns in the region still in the dark as of yesterday.
"We want to correct the impression that it will take a month to complete the restoration, it will not take that long. By Wednesday next week, since today is the start of the rehabilitation, hopefully we get to restore electricity to the Cagayan region," Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras said. - With Aurea Calica, Pia Lee-Brago, Jaime Laude, Jun Elias, Ric Sapnu, Christina Mendez, Eva Visperas, Alexis Romero, Marianne Go, Rhodina Villanueva, Donnabelle Gatdula, Cesar Ramirez
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