(UPDATE 3) PAGASA: Improved weather on All Saints' Day
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/31/2009 8:25 AM
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MANILA - Weather bureau PAGASA said typhoon Santi (international name Mirinae) has weakened into a tropical storm as it continued to move towards the South China Sea on Saturday afternoon.
The weather bureau has also removed the highest typhoon warning signal over Metro Manila and Luzon provinces that were hit by the typhoon after making landfall past Friday midnight.
Lubang Island in Mindoro remains under public storm warning signal No. 2 while Metro Manila and the provinces of Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro and the Calamian Group of Island in Palawan were placed under signal No. 1.
PAGASA said the typhoon has moved farther away from the country. It was 170 kilometers southwest of Metro Manila, with weaker center winds of 105 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 135 kph.
The typhoon was moving west at a speed of 20 kph. It was expected to move out of the Philippine area of responsibility towards the South China Sea by Sunday afternoon.
The typhoon made landfall south of Infanta town in Quezon province at 12:30 a.m. With strong winds of 150 kph and gusts of up to 185 kph, it also affected Metro Manila.
From Quezon, the tropical cyclone moved to Cavite and briefly in Batangas.
PAGASA chief Prisco Nilo said weather condition in Metro Manila and other parts of the country would start to improve by Saturday noon.
“Tomorrow (Sunday) Metro Manila and all parts of the country will have an improved weather condition,” Nilo told reporters.
ABS-CBN News and radio dzMM reports said the typhoon pounded Laguna, Cavite and Batangas with strong winds and heavy rains.
Reports said several passenger buses bound for the three provinces and also to Visayas provinces were stalled by the typhoon. Power supplies in a large part of three provinces and Metro Manila have also been cut off.
PAGASA, meanwhile, added that several parts of Bicol region also experienced heavy rains and strong winds, causing power interruptions.
Thousands evacuated, 3 missing
The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said a total of 115,507 people were evacuated in Metro Manila, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) and Bicol ahead of the typhoon's landfall.
Food supplies and rescue equipment were also prepositioned days before the typhoon's landfall.
The pre-emptive actions were due to the country's experience from three recent storms that devastated most of Luzon within the month.
The NDCC has counted at least 1,100 deaths from the past storms. The number includes fatalities from disease outbreaks, particularly leptospirosis, in flood-hit areas.
Meanwhile, the NDCC said it has received reports that a father has gone missing after their shanty home was swept away by a creek's strong current in Barangay Cupang, Muntinlupa City. The man's two children have been rescued, it added.
Another report said a father and his 3-year-old son went missing after their vehicle fell off a bridge that was damaged by a rivers strong current during the typhoon's onslaught in Batangas province.
Search and rescue operations have been launched for Romulo Soriano and son Nicolo. The man's wife identified as Malou has been rescued alive.
Laguna towns flooded, thousands stranded
Reports gathered by ABS-CBN News said a total of 20 towns in Laguna were flooded due to the typhoon's heavy rains.
The flooded towns were Calamba, Los Baños, Bay, Calauan, Victoria, Pila, Lumban, Majayjay, Sta. Maria, Mabitac, Nagcarlan, Sta. Cruz, Cabuyao, Siniloan, San Pedro Biñan, Magdalena, Pagsanjan, Cavinti and Liliw.
The floods came as the province has yet to recover from floods caused by the Laguna de Bay's spillage during the onslaught of tropical storm Ondoy (Ketsana), which dumped a month's volume of rain in less 24 hours last September 26.
Meanwhile, the NDCC reported that a total of 8,567 people were stranded in various ports in areas affected by "Santi."
Passengers got stranded in ports when coast guard authorities grounded vessels and ferries after storm signals 2 and 3 were raised even before the typhoon's landfall.
Majority of the passengers were returning to their provinces for All Saints' Day. With reports from Ryan Chua, ABS-CBN News, radio dzMM and ABS-CBN Southern Tagalog
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