ROXAS BLVD REINFORCED SEAWALL W/ SANDBAGS / 'PEDRING' DEATH TOLL, 21
MANILA, OCTOBER 1, 2011 (STAR) By Sandy Araneta (PHOTO - A Metropolitan Manila Development Authority worker inspects sandbags which were placed to temporarily reinforce the damaged seawall along Roxas Boulevard. VAL RODRIGUEZ)
The seawall along Roxas Boulevard in Manila will have a modern and more durable design, built to withstand stronger typhoons, the city's chief engineer said yesterday.
In a phone interview with The STAR, Armand Andres said based on information he received from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the lead government agency in rehabilitating the seawall, the design will be "modern" and able to "resist stronger typhoons and floods." He said the design, which is not being made by the DPWH, will need the approval of the DPWH secretary before construction starts.
He said the foundation of the new seawall will be deeper, and use basically the same materials – but stronger – as the old seawall, which "was built during the 1960s." He said they do not know yet when the construction of the new seawall, projected to cost P30 million, will begin.
Andres said they will use some of the bricks and tiles from the old seawall to keep construction costs down.
Andres said out of the two kilometers of seawall in Manila – from the Manila Yacht Club to the United States embassy – only 750 meters had been damaged by a storm surge caused by typhoon "Pedring."
He said they will follow Mayor Alfredo Lim's suggestion to retain the height of the seawall at 16 inches so tourists can still sit on the seawall and motorists can still see Manila Bay's sunset view while driving.
Lim said he expects that everything displaced by the storm surge and Pedring's strong winds will be returned to normal by tomorrow. He said the typhoon uprooted about 100 trees.
Manila public services chief Carlos Baltazar said the 1,500 tons of garbage they collect in the city each day increased by 50 percent following the flood. He said at least four truckloads of trash had been collected from Roxas Boulevard alone yesterday.
The fallen statue of former mayor Arsenio Lacson has been reinstalled and the roofs of the Del Pan complex and the Manila City courts have been fixed, Andres said.
MMDA intensifies cleanup
[PHOTO - Emergency services and residents in the Philippine capital cleaned up and restored electricity Wednesday after a powerful typhoon unleashed floodwaters and fierce wind that killed at least 20 people and sent huge waves crashing over seawalls.]
After clearing Roxas Boulevard of debris left by the storm surge, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has shifted its focus to cleaning up Barangays Tumana and Malanday in Marikina City and repairing the collapsed portions of the Malabon dike.
MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said about 60 members of the agency's flood control and sewerage management office were deployed to declog Marikina's drainage systems. He said Pedring left the Marikina River clogged with garbage and mud.
In Malabon, portions of the Pinagkabalian River dike were repaired by the MMDA and the city government. The breach of the dike caused floods in Barangay Dampalit and nearby areas.
Tolentino said that as a temporary measure, MMDA workers have placed sandbags in the breached portions of the dike. As of press time yesterday, at least 11 of the city's 21 barangays are still flooded.
In Navotas City, around 1,500 families lost their homes along the shoreline due to the storm surge, but no casualties were reported. – With Mike Frialde, Pete Laude
'Pedring' exits Philippines; 21 dead, 33 missing By Angelo L. Gutierrez The Philippine Star Updated September 28, 2011 07:01 PM
Typhoon Pedring (Nesat) has started to move out of the Philippine area of responsibility. It is leaving the country with 18 fatalities and 35 more missing in Luzon. (Image from PAGASA)
MANILA, Philippines - The head of the government's disaster response agency today said that they are expecting more fatalities from Typhoon "Pedring" (Nesat)) as search and rescue operations continue for more than 30 people.
Benito Ramos, head of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), said that as of noon today, a total of 21 people have been confirmed killed by the typhoon.
Ramos said the latest fatality was a 22-year-old woman, who died from drowning in Isabela province during the onslaught of the typhoon yesterday.
In its 3 p.m. report, the NDRRMC said that 33 more people remained missing. He said more fatalities may turn up as concerned government agencies continue to search for the missing victims. Majority of the missing victims are from Bicol region.
In an earlier bulletin on the typhoon's effects, the NDRRMC said that six of the fatalities, four of them killed by fallen trees, were residents of Central Luzon.
Five of the fatalities were recorded in Metro Manila, one in Ilocos, one in Cagayan Valley, one in Calabarzon, two in Bicol in another two in Cordillera Administrative Region.
The NDRRMC said that a total of 25 people were injured during the typhoon's onslaught. The victims are currently under the care of the Help Emergency Management of the Department of Health.
The typhoon affected 68,601 families or 320,945 individuals in eight regions in Luzon, including Mero Manila. The NDRRMC, however, said that only nearly 11,000 families are stayin in evacuation centers, which are mostly schools located in higher grounds.
The agency said that the typhoon's damage to infrastructure and agriculture was initially pegged at nearly P1 billion. It added that a large part of the amount, more than P912 million, was the typhoon's damage on crops, including rice, corn and other high-value crops.
Storm signals lifted
The government's weather bureau lifted storm warning signals from all of the provinces hoisted over Luzon.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that as of4 p.m. today, the typhoon was already out of the Philippine area of responsibility.
The typhoon's eye was estimated at 520 kilometers west northwest of Baguio City. It was moving west northwest at 19 kph.
PAGASA said that the storm has gathered strength over the West Philippine Sea, packing maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour and gust of up to 160 kph.
The typhoon will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon, bringing rains over the western section of Luzon.
It said that as of 4 p.m. today, the typhoon was already out of the Philippine area of responsibility.
Meanwhile, PAGASA advised that a tropical storm, international name Nalgae may enter the Philippine area of responsibility by tomorrow. It said that the tropical storm may strengthen into a typhoon as it enters the PAR.
It added that the storm will affect areas in Northern Luzon.
'Pedring' slams Metro By Helen Flores (The Philippine Star) Updated September 28, 2011 12:00 AM
Residents of Barangay Tumana in Marikina are evacuated on rubber boats due to rising floodwaters brought by typhoon 'Pedring' yesterday. Walter Bollozos |
MANILA, Philippines - Metro Manila residents waded through floodwaters a meter deep yesterday as "Pedring" (international code name Nesat) pummeled Northern Luzon, killing at least nine people and toppling power lines and trees along its path.
Large swathes of Metro Manila were without electricity for several hours yesterday. Classes and work in government offices were suspended as well as trading in the stock market. Several flights were also canceled.
In Marikina, the rising river compelled the evacuation of residents in low-lying areas.
A storm surge worsened the usual flooding in northern Metro Manila, where rubber boats were deployed to assist residents in Malabon and Navotas.
The storm surge, which brought waves up to 20 feet high, also damaged the breakwater in Manila Bay as well as the seawall along Roxas Boulevard, spawning one of the worst floods about three feet deep along the thoroughfare.
Weather officials said Pedring made landfall over the boundary of Aurora and Isabela at 4 a.m. yesterday, bringing heavy rains and strong winds.
Rene Paciente, senior weather forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said another weather disturbance, to be named "Quiel," was expected to enter the country this week but is unlikely to directly affect the country.
Earlier, PAGASA supervising undersecretary Graciano Yumul said Quiel was expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility by Friday and hit Samar province by Monday next week.
As of 5 p.m. yesterday, storm warning signal no. 3 remained hoisted over Ilocos Sur, La Union, Benguet and Pangasinan.
Signal no. 2 was still up in Ilocos Norte, Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac and Zambales.
Under signal no. 1 were Metro Manila, Cagayan including Babuyan and Calayan group of islands, Isabela, Quirino, Aurora, Bulacan, Pampanga, and Bataan.
PAGASA lifted storm signals in other areas affected by the typhoon.
As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the eye of Pedring was spotted at 70 kms west northwest of Baguio City with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph.
It was forecast to move west northwest at 19 kph and is expected to be 450 kms west northwest of Baguio City this afternoon.
PAGASA weather branch chief Robert Sawi said Pedring slightly weakened as it crossed the rugged terrain of the Sierra Madre mountains yesterday morning.
Sawi said Pedring passed through Difun, Nueva Vizcaya; Atok, Benguet and exited through the western coast of La Union yesterday afternoon.
As of 5 p.m. yesterday, Pedring was already over the West Philippine Sea.
Sawi said Pedring was forecast to leave the Philippine territory this afternoon.
He said gradual improvement in weather is expected in Luzon later today.
However, he said monsoon rains will continue to prevail over Central and Southern Luzon, including Metro Manila, until today due to the southwest monsoon, but stormy weather will still be felt in Northern Luzon.
Palace on top of the situation
Malacañang suspended work in all government offices even as it gave assurance that President Aquino, who was in a roundtable discussion with Japanese businessmen at the Philippine Economic Forum, is closely monitoring the situation in the country.
In a statement, the President said he had been in touch with Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, who was part of his delegation and was instructed to come home to fix the power problem.
"I have instructed the Executive Secretary (Paquito Ochoa Jr.) to compile information from NDRMMC (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council) and to inform our people of conditions as well as of government efforts to mitigate the effects of the storm," Aquino said.
Presidential Communications Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, who was with the President, said the President was monitoring satellite photos of the extent of Pedring while at business meetings.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the suspension of work covered government offices in Metro Manila, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera, Central Luzon, Batangas, Cavite, Rizal and Laguna.
However, agencies involved in disaster response like the NDRRMC remained on active duty.
"No government work today except for emergency and NDRRMC-related services," Lacierda said in a text message.
However, some state employees complained that the announcement was late, considering that the weather bureau warned about the typhoon the night before.
Lacierda apologized for the delay but said the Palace had to wait for the recommendations of PAGASA before coming out with announcements.
Metro heavily hit
The heavy rains and water from Manila Bay due to the storm surge flooded portions of Roxas Blvd., including the US embassy, at the height of the typhoon, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said.
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extra-tropical cyclones.
DPWH-National Capital Region director Reynaldo Tagudando said the southbound lane of Roxas Blvd. from T.M. Kalaw to Vito Cruz was not passable as of yesterday morning due to flooding.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) scrambled wooden rescue boats along Roxas Blvd. when the situation became critical after a seawall collapsed yesterday afternoon.
The flooding was so severe that cars parked along the Sofitel Hotel floated as water from Manila Bay breached the seawall.
The Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of Consular Affairs suspended its operation and applicants who were scheduled were told to come any day until Friday (Oct. 7) during office hours.
The US embassy in Manila was closed to the public yesterday and today and all visa appointments were rescheduled to a proximate date.
Embassy personnel said its call center will contact all affected clients.
Nine persons were reported dead, two from Zambales, four from Barangay Pulang Lupa, Valenzuela City, all pinned down by a collapsed concrete wall; a woman in Caloocan City, who was pinned down by a tree, a baby in Catanduanes, and another in Camarines Sur.
More casualties were reported but the NDRRMC could not verify these as of press time.
More than 800 families were evacuated in Muntinlupa, Parañaque and the town of Pateros.
Forced evacuations were also implemented in Baseco compound, Parola compound, Isla Puting Bato and Del Pan, all in Tondo, Manila, although there were no recorded injuries.
At least 5,000 residents in low-lying areas of Marikina City were forcibly evacuated by local government officials, wary of a repeat of the "Ondoy" tragedy in 2009.
Classes in all levels in Marikina remain suspended today, according to City Administrator Vic Sabiniano.
Malabon, a perennial flood-prone city, has also suspended classes until further notice from its officials, along with San Mateo.
Department of Health Undersecretary Dr. Ted Herbosa advised those who are managing the evacuation centers nationwide to prevent the outbreak of diseases and not to congest the centers.
He said decongesting the evacuation centers will help mitigate the chances of spreading diseases, even as he reminded local officials that all hospitals are under Code White alert to ensure preparedness.
Adding to the misery of Metro Manila residents was the stoppage of all the three rail lines.
Lawyer Hernando Cabrera, Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) corporate secretary and LRT and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) spokesman, said that the suspension of operations of the LRT Lines 1 and 2, and the EDSA-bound MRT, was mainly due to the intermittent fluctuation in the power supply provided by Meralco, which severely hindered train operations at the three rail lines in the morning.
There were no reported casualties in the Calabarzon region and four towns in Rizal province – Antipolo, Cainta, Angono and Binangonan – which experienced power interruptions.
More fishermen missing
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said a total of 3,599 persons were stranded in various ports due to the typhoon.
PCG spokesman Algier Ricafrente said that bulk of the stranded individuals were located in Matnog, Sorsogon; Tabaco, Albay and Calapan, Oriental Mindoro.
Three persons were reported missing in Quezon and two were reported injured in Isabela.
In Legazpi City, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda has ordered the evacuation of 14,855 families, but praised PAGASA for its accurate forecast.
"PAGASA has improved a lot this time compared to its forecast on typhoon Juaning," he said.
The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) in Bicol said local officials are still searching for 25 missing fishermen in Camarines Norte.
Raffy Alejandro, OCD regional director, said 13 are residents of Mercedes while the other 12 missing fishermen are from Vinzons town.
Another missing fisherman, Romeo Atanacio, 41, from Barangay Patitinan in Sangay town in Camarines Sur, is still missing after he failed to return home since Sept. 25.
Six fishermen from Pasacao in Camarines Sur, who were earlier reported missing, have been found alive. Three of them are now with their respective families while three others are just waiting for good weather so they can go home.
A 37-year-old fisherman was also reported missing in Aurora, even as local government officials were busy evacuating families in low-lying areas.
Pampanga, Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija were also hit by the typhoon but no casualties were reported. Two girls were reported dead in Sta. Maria, Bulacan and another in Olongapo City but the NDRRMC would not confirm this as of press time.
However, local officials in these provinces ordered preemptive evacuations to ensure the safety of their respective constituents.
Power lines tripped
Massive blackouts were also experienced in affected areas of the country mainly because of the failure of the transmission lines of the National Grid Corp. (NGCP).
NGCP reported that strong winds affected several lines such as the Batangas-Ibaan-Rosario, Batangas-Lipa, Tayabas Substation, San Jose-Tayabas Line 1 and Pawa-Tabaco-Malinao section.
More lines tripped at noon, including the Itogon-Tuba 23-kV line 2, which rendered the provinces of Quirino, Isabela, Kalinga and Cagayan powerless.
Customers of Meralco in Metro Manila, as well as those in Laguna and Batangas, also suffered power outages.
Water was released yesterday from four dams in Luzon as continuous rains spawned by the typhoon brought their levels to spilling level.
As of 10 a.m. yesterday, two gates were opened at one meter each from the Ipo and Ambuklao dams while Binga dam opened three and Magat dam one, with openings of two meters each.
Up north, Pedring's uproar did not cause much damage as local officials kept watch on swelling rivers and potential landslides in most mountains and hills in the Cordilleras. – With reports from Cecille Suerte Felipe, Aurea Calica, Sheila Crisostomo, Christina Mendez, Donnabelle Gatdula, Jaime Laude, Aie Balagtas See, Mike Frialde, Jerry Botial, Pia Lee-Brago, Non Alquitran, Rainier Allan Ronda, Alexis Romero, Celso Amo, Ric Sapnu, Manny Galvez, Ding Cervantes, Raymund Catindig, Charlie Lagasca, Eva Visperas, Dino Balabo, Raffy Viray, Casar Ramirez, Artemio Dumlao, Ed Amoroso, AP,
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