DOST WARNS OF MORE, STRONGER TYPHOONS / BAGUIO SHIVERS AT 9.4 deg C
MANILA, FEBRUARY 4, 2011 (MALAYA) BY REGINA BENGCO THE Department of Science and Technology yesterday warned of a "creeping disaster" of more severe floods due to the above average rainfall that Mindanao is getting despite the absence of a storm.
Science Undersecretary Graciano Yumul Jr. said while the weather over the Visayas and Mindanao is expected to get better, the water in already flooded towns in the Caraga region (Region 13) will not recede yet because rains that fell on watersheds are just starting to go down, and the rivers are already swollen.
Caraga is composed of Agusan del Norte and del Sur and Surigao del Norte and del Sur.
"I think the message that we really want to impart here is that what we are having right now is a creeping disaster," Yumul said.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said rains since late last month have affected 27 provinces in 10 regions, including Caraga.
At least 75 persons have died from drowning, landslides, electrocution, and hypothermia. At least 2,300 families or 10,800 persons are staying in 62 evacuation centers.
Nathaniel Servando, weather bureau director, said 46 of 51 field stations of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) recorded more than normal rainfall for January.
Surigao and Hinatuan cities in the Caraga region both got more than 1,000 millimeters of rain or almost 300 percent above normal. Catarman and Catbalogan, which are in Eastern Samar, also experienced 350-490 percent more rains, Servando said.
Surigao yesterday received 271 mm of rain while Hinatuan got 196.6 mm. He said rainfall above 180 mm is considered heavy.
Yumul said aside from Caraga, government is also monitoring western Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Bohol and Camiguin because of heavy rainfall and swollen rivers in these areas.
He said Palawan will have bad weather on Thursday and Friday because a low pressure area would be hovering above it.
"But what is really a little bit dangerous is for the simple reason that we're seeing a thousand millimeters of rainfall for several areas. And again, as we have explained before, we believe that this is really due to La Niña. And if you want it extended, we are really collaborating this with regards to the so-called the global warming," he said.
He said "summer," or the dry season of April to May, is expected to be wet and 2011 will have more typhoons, and stronger ones, compared to the 11 typhoons in 2010.
He said government is expected to have more disaster-related expenses because of the continuing rains and floods.
Servando said La Niña is attaining its peak, and will persist until May. He said rains may also shift to other areas.
Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said the number of affected families has reached 292,363 or 1.4 million persons.
Soliman said total cost of assistance given by the social welfare department, local governments, and non-governmental organizations is P35.7 million. She said P7.017 million is on standby.
She said the national government has augmented the relief operations of the local governments and other regional offices have been alerted on the need for more dry clothes for the evacuees.
She said the national government is also working with local government units in disseminating information on disaster preparedness.
Yumul said a UN study showed that for every disaster-related death in the developed countries, there is an equivalent of 17 in the developing countries.
He also cited another UN study that says every $1 on disaster preparedness saves $7 on disaster management.
The NDRRMC said at least 2,200 barangays are affected in the 27 provinces in 10 regions – Caraga, Mimaropa, Bicol, Northern Mindanao, Davao, SOCCSKSARGEN, Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, and Western, Central, and Eastern Visayas.
Damage to infrastructure, agriculture and private properties was placed at P2.05 billion, with the infrastructure sector suffering the brunt with P1.37 billion. – With Victor Reyes
Baguio shivers at 9.4ºC By Helen Flores (The Philippine Star) Updated February 04, 2011 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Temperatures in Baguio City dipped to 9.4 degrees Celsius yesterday, the coldest this year, the weather bureau said.
The rest of the country will also continue to experience cool weather this month as the northeast monsoon peaks.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the lowest temperature in the city was recorded at 6:30 a.m., lower than the 9.6 degrees Celsius recorded last Jan. 4.
Pagasa records showed that the coldest temperature in the city was recorded at 6.3 degrees Celsius on Jan. 18, 1961.
Tourists took advantage of the cold weather to take part in the city's month-long Flower Festival, also known as Panagbenga (A Time to Bloom), which started Tuesday.
Further north in Benguet, temperatures are usually two to three degrees lower, especially in Mt. Pulag, the highest peak in Luzon.
In Metro Manila, the temperature dipped to 19.8 degrees Celsius. Last month, the temperature in the metropolis dipped to 18.5 degrees Celsius.
The low-pressure area located 140 kilometers south of Zamboanga City, however, is expected to bring scattered to widespread rains over the western provinces, possibly triggering flashfloods and landslides.
"Residents living in low-lying areas, along river banks and along the mountain slopes are advised to take all the necessary precautionary measures," PAGASA said.
"Fishermen in Luzon, Visayas and Eastern Mindanao are advised not to venture out to sea due to big waves generated by strong to gale force northeasterly winds," it added.
PAGASA said the tail end of a cold front will also bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, becoming widespread rains over Eastern Visayas.
The rest of Luzon, meanwhile, will have mostly cloudy skies with light rains.
PAGASA weather branch chief Robert Sawi earlier said the low-pressure area was unlikely to develop into a tropical cyclone due to the prevailing cold weather.
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