CYCLONE IN CHINA BLUNTS 'BUTCHOY'/ BUTCHOY EXITS 3rd STORM
SURGES IN
[PHOTO -MTSAT ENHANCED IR
Satellite Image for 8:32 p.m., 17 June 2012]
MANILA, JUNE 19, 2012 (INQUIRER) By Kristine L. Alave -
A tropical depression south of China has been blunting the effects of
typhoon "Butchoy" over the western seaboard of Luzon, weather forecasters said
Sunday.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services
Administration (Pagasa) said a tropical cyclone that formed in southern China
was having some unexpected effects: It was sucking some of the moisture in the
air and this was why the southwest monsoon had not been as strong as feared,
weather forecaster Glaiza Escullar said.
Even so, disaster management officials were not taking any chances. Relief
and emergency evacuation plans were put in place in towns in northern Luzon as
Butchoy passed 550 kilometers east of Aparri Sunday afternoon.
Pagasa saw very little chance Butchoy would make a landfall in the
Philippines. However, it had increased wind velocity to 185 kph near the center
and gustiness up to 220 kph; it had a diameter of 500 km.
Early Monday, Butchoy was expected to be 500 km east northeast of Basco,
Batanes. Moving at 22 kph, it will be out of the Philippine areas of
responsibility by Tuesday morning, according to Escullar.
The storm in southern China was moving closer to the Philippines but was
unlikely to enter the country, Pagasa said.
Escullar said fair weather in the Visayas and Mindanao were starting to be
felt as Butchoy moves out of the country.
Nonetheless, Pagasa warned ships against venturing out to the sea. "Fishing
boats and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out to the seaboards
of Luzon and the Visayas due to the big waves generated by the combined effects
of Butchoy and the southwest monsoon."
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Executive Director
Benito Ramos said "storm surges" could still occur even with Butchoy on the way
out.
"The waves are still big out there," Ramos said over the phone Sunday
afternoon. He said coastal residents should take precautions.
On Sunday, two crew members of a small cargo boat were rescued after their
vessel nearly sank off the resort island of Boracay, a Coast Guard official
said.
The outrigger motorboat Cathlyn took in water due to huge waves and strong
winds shortly after it left Boracay for Caticlan before noon.
Lieutenant Commodore Terence Alsosa, commander of the Coast Guard station in
Caticlan, Aklan, said no one was injured and that the boat was towed back to
shore.—Reports from Leila Salaverria and Dona Pazzibugan in
Manila; Nestor P. Burgos, Inquirer Visayas; Villamor Visaya Jr. and Yolanda
Sotelo, Inquirer Northern Luzon; and Carmela Reyes-Estrope, Inquirer Central
Luzon
FROM THE PHILSTAR
Storm surges seen as 'Butchoy' exits (The
Philippine Star) Updated June 18, 2012 12:00 AMComments (0)
MANILA, Philippines - Typhoon "Butchoy" (international name Guchol) is on its
way out of the country but it can still trigger heavy rains and storm surges,
the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) warned the
public yesterday.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services
Administration (PAGASA) said Butchoy intensified and accelerated yesterday as it
moved away.
NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos said the typhoon can still spawn heavy
rains and storm surges in some parts of the country.
"The possibility of a storm surge is still there in the eastern seaboard of
the Philippines," Ramos told ABS-CBN News Channel.
"Let us not be complacent even if Butchoy is about to leave," he added.
No casualties related to the typhoon were reported as of yesterday afternoon.
Ramos said they remain on red alert for possible emergency situations. He
said state agencies are on standby to assist residents affected by the typhoon.
Only one typhoon-related incident has been reported so far but it did not
involve any casualty.
A pump boat carrying 10 people capsized in waters off Catbalogan City in
Samar last week but all passengers were rescued by authorities.
However, the low pressure area that hit some parts of the country before
Butchoy intensified into a storm left at least 10 people dead.
The weather disturbance also left two persons injured and 43 others missing.
A total of 30,937 people or 6,183 families in four regions have been affected
by the low pressure area. The NDRRMC said 476 people or 104 families are still
housed in five evacuation centers.
Another weather disturbance seen in Mindanao
PAGASA administrator Nathaniel Servando said the southwest monsoon, which was
enhanced by the typhoon, will continue to dump rains over most parts of Luzon
and the Visayas this week.
As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the eye of Butchoy was spotted at 550 kilometers
east-northeast of Aparri, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers
per hour and gustiness of up to 220 kph.
It was forecast to move north at 22 kph.
"The southwest monsoon, enhanced by Butchoy, will continue to bring
occasional rains (light to moderate) over western Luzon, including Metro Manila,
until Thursday," Servando told The STAR.
PAGASA weather division chief Robert Sawi said the southwest monsoon will
bring occasional rains over Luzon and western Visayas, becoming frequent over
the western section of Luzon particularly Mindoro, Batangas, Cavite, Bataan,
Pampanga, Zambales, Pangasinan, La Union, Benguet, the Ilocos provinces, and the
National Capital Region.
PAGASA continued to warn operators of fishing boats and other small sea
vessels not to venture out to the seas of Luzon, the Visayas and eastern
Mindanao due to the big waves generated by the combined effects of Butchoy and
the southwest monsoon.
"Sea travel is risky due to monsoon surge," Sawi said.
Butchoy, the second tropical cyclone to enter the country this year, was
forecast to exit the Philippine area of responsibility tonight.
Butchoy was predicted to be 500 km east-northeast of Basco, Batanes this
morning and 1,020 kms northeast of Basco or 280 kms east-northeast of Okinawa,
Japan tomorrow morning.
PAGASA was also monitoring yesterday a possible weather disturbance off
Mindanao.
"Based on (numerical) models, a tropical cyclone might develop east of the
country on Thursday or Friday," Servando said. – Alexis
Romero, Helen Flores
3rd storm to enter Philippines Wednesday The
Philippine Star Updated June 18, 2012 11:47 AM 1 comment to this post
MANILA, Philippines - The third tropical storm may enter the Philippines by
Wednesday afternoon, a government weather forecaster said Monday morning.
Manny Mendoza, weather forecaster at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical
and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said that the incoming storm
was spotted at 880 kilometers west of extreme Northern Luzon.
Mendoza said that the storm, which is already packing maximum sustained winds
of 75 kilometers per hour, may enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR)
by Wednesday afternoon.
The storm will be named "Carina" if it enters the PAR.
Mendoza said that if the storm changes direction from west to east, it may
directly affect parts of extreme Northern Luzon. He also said that the storm may
intensify into a typhoon.
Meanwhile, PAGASA said that typhoon "Butchoy" has slightly weakened as it
continued to move away from the Philippines.
It said that as of 10 a.m., the typhoon's center was estimated at 580
kilometers east northeast of Basco town in Batanes province.
The typhoon slightly weakened with maximum winds of 160 kilometers per hour
and gusts of up to 195 kph. It was moving north northeast at 24 kph.
PAGASA said that the storm will exit the Philippine area of responsibility
and move towards Okinawa, Japan by Tuesday morning.
The weather bureau said that Butchoy will continue to enhance the southwest
monsoon and will bring rains over Luzon and Western Visayas, which may trigger
landslides and flashfloods.
"Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into
the seaboards of Luzon and Visayas due to the big waves generated by the
combined effects of Typhoon "Butchoy" and the Southwest Monsoon.," PAGASA said.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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