MANILA, Philippines - Tropical depression “Falcon,” which developed yesterday afternoon, is seen to bring more rains this week but is not expected to become a storm within the next 24 hours, the weather bureau said.
As of 2 p.m. yesterday, the center of Falcon was located 610 kilometers east-northeast of Borongan, Eastern Samar with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center.
It was forecast to move west northwest at 19 kph.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has not raised a storm signal as of yesterday afternoon.
“We do not expect (Falcon) to become a storm within the next 24 hours. It will not also make landfall based on the latest model,” PAGASA supervising undersecretary Graciano Yumul said.
Falcon is the sixth tropical cyclone to enter the country this year and the third weather disturbance this month.
It is expected to be 440 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes this morning; 420 kms east northeast of Casiguran, Aurora tomorrow morning; and 350 kms east of Basco, Batanes by Friday morning.
PAGASA said Falcon and tropical cyclone “Egay,” which is already out of the country, are expected to bring widespread rains over the western section of Luzon.
In anticipation of rough sea conditions when Falcon passes the country, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) was placed on heightened alert.
PCG commandant Admiral Ramon Liwanag yesterday dispatched the Deployable Response Group and the PCG Special Operation Group divers in areas that may be affected by the storm.
The PCG is coordinating with local and foreign weather bureaus to obtain the latest location and wind direction of the weather disturbance.
The PCG advised ship owners to follow the guidelines on the movement of vessels during rough weather. Fishermen in areas affected by the storm were also advised to keep informed on developments on the weather disturbance.
“There have been previous incidents when fishermen, who sail for several days, are caught in typhoons and end up missing because they were not aware that there was a cyclone. They failed to bring with them reliable communication equipment,” Liwag said.
In Bataan, three fishermen went missing in the waters of Limay, Bataan when they were caught at sea by typhoon Egay.
Bataan police provincial director Arnold Gunnacao identified the missing fishermen as Leonardo Ramirez, 39, Alberto Ramirez, 35, and Cartorge Nono, 25, all from Limay, Bataan.
Gunnacao said Ederlina Ramirez, 40, wife of Leonardo told police that the victims went fishing at 4 a.m. Saturday on board a motorized banca.
Gunnacao said that they have contacted the PCG in Limay to conduct rescue.
Typhoon Egay has so far claimed two lives. Mary Joy Reyes, 3, and her sister Dorina Reyes 5, both residents of Barangay Tipo in Hermosa, Bataan, drowned when they were swept away by strong current while crossing a creek.
Bataan police reported that the two children were crossing a creek with their mother and a year-old sibling when they were swept away. The mother and the baby were saved when they got stuck on a water hose lying near the stream.
In Olongapo City, 15-year-old Ariel de los Santos of Purok 5, Barangay Old Cabalan was likewise swept by strong current when he was crossing a creek and was still missing as of yesterday.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the storm did not cause significant damage to infrastructure and private property.
The storm affected Catanduanes, Metro Manila, and parts of Central Luzon. It caused flooding in Bataan, Bulacan, and Pampanga.
Heightened elevation in Angat Dam
The heavy downpour caused by cyclone Egay caused water elevation in the Angat Dam to rise two meters in less than 24 hours.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) in Bulacan, however, allayed fears of flooding in communities along the 50-kilometer Angat River that drains to Manila Bay.
Water elevation at the dam rose to 195 meters above sea level (masl) as of 7 a.m. yesterday from 193.35 masl at 8 a.m. on Monday.
PDRRMO head Felicisima Mungcal also said the Ipo Dam has started spilling water since Sunday, but noted that residents living on the banks of the Angat River should not be worried because the water level in the river is still low.
Ipo Dam spilled 268 cubic meters of water per second (CMS) since Sunday morning. Mungcal said the dam only spills when water elevation breaches the 100 masl mark.
A secondary dam, Ipo Dam is a direct recipient of water from the Angat Dam, which supplies 97 percent of the potable requirement of Metro Manila.
From the Ipo Dam, water flows to the La Mesa Dam in Novaliches, Quezon City.
The provincial disaster office also issued gale warnings to fishermen.
Last week, when Egay entered the country, four large fishing boats from Hagonoy town capsized in Manila Bay, but no one was reported injured.
Fishermen claimed they went out to sea because they did not receive a storm signal warning. They were already out at sea when the weather bureau raised the storm signal. Several areas in Bulacan are still flooded from the rains brought by Egay.
The Department of Education (DepEd) division office in Malolos City cancelled classes in some schools in Meycauayan City and Obando town.
Cancelled were pre-elementary to high school classes in Zamora Elementary School, Longos Elementary School, Saluysoy and Bangcal Elementary Schools in Meycauayan City; and classes in Panghulo, Paco and Tawiran Elementary Schools in Obando. –
With Dino Balabo, Evelyn Macairan, Ric Sapnu, Alexis Romero
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