Manila, Philippines — Goring has weakened into a typhoon and is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Thursday while an approaching severe tropical storm is expected to enter PAR on Wednesday evening or Thursday morning, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said yesterday.
At a press briefing, PAGASA weather specialist Veronica Torres said the eye of Typhoon Goring was located at 245 kilometers (km) east northeast of Casiguran, Aurora with maximum sustained winds of 155 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 190 kph as it is moving north northeastward at 15 kph.
“Generally for today (Monday) and tomorrow (Tuesday), it will move towards northeastward or northward, then after, generally northwest, moving near the Batanes area with the possibility of a landfall scenario since Batanes area is within the area of probability of Goring,” Torres said.
Torres added that 50 to 100 millimeters of rain is expected in Batanes, Babuyan Island, northern portion of mainland Cagayan, Apayao and Ilocos Norte.
Goring will also enhance the southwest monsoon and will bring 100 to 200 millimeters of rain in Occidental Mindoro; 50 to 100 millimeters in Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, northern portion of Palawan, including Calamian and Cuyo Islands, Antique, southwestern portion of Iloilo and northwestern portion of Aklan.
“On Wednesday, 100 to 200 millimeters of rain are expected in Zambales, Bataan and Occidental Mindoro while 50 to 100 millimeters of rain in Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite and Batangas,” she added.
Meanwhile, the state weather bureau continues to monitor the severe tropical storm outside PAR, which is expected to intensify into a typhoon category but is less likely to have direct effect in any part of the country.
It is expected to enter PAR on Wednesday evening or Thursday morning and will enhance the southwest monsoon, especially in the western section of the country.
Affected families
Some 2,302 families or a total of 7,919 persons have been affected by Goring, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) said.
As of yesterday, at least 538 families or 1,948 persons remain in 53 different evacuation centers in affected provinces mostly in Northern Luzon.
The NDRRMC said affected areas include the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, MIMAROPA, Western Visayas and the Cordillera Administrative Region.
In Region 2 alone, reports said estimated cost of damage to infrastructure is now at P40 million while damage to agriculture is yet to be released.
In the Ilocos Region and CAR, the NDRRMC said affected families and/or individuals have so far received P25,910 worth of hygiene kits and family food packs.
In Ilocos Norte, heavy rains broughy by Goring caused landslides blocking main roads in Barangay Liliputan in Pinili town; Barangay Pancian in Pagudpud town and Barangay Adams in the municipality of Adams, police director Col. Julius Suriben reported yesterday.
Suriben said that 15 families were rescued in Adams during height of Goring, and that Gov. Matthew Marcos Manotoc has given all the needs of the affected families.
In Negros Occidental, heavy rains caused widespread flooding in eight towns, forcing the evacuation of thousands yesterday.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz disclosed that about 3,838 Negrenses were affected by flooding that started Sunday night, in the municipalities of Pontevedra, Don Salvador Bernedicto, San Enrique, Pulupandan, Vallodolid and Murcia and Bago City.
In Bacolod City, heavy rains forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 residents from 13 barangays that are now staying in publicschools for temporary shelter.
Classes and work in government offices are suspended today Bacolod City and La Carlota City, and the municipalities of EB Magalona and Moises Padilla. Isabela Mayor Irene Montilla and Pulupandan Mayor Miguel Peña also ordered suspension of classes in their respective towns.
The admission of patients to the Bago City Hospital was also temporarily suspended due to flooding on its ground floor. — Michael Punongbayan, Gilbert Bayoran, Rudy Santos
