2 dead, 1 missing due to Typhoon 'Lawin'

MANILA (Updated) -- Two persons were killed while one remained missing due to Typhoon "Lawin" (international codename: Jelawat), which further intensified Monday evening, the country's risk reduction council reported Monday.

The National Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) identified one of the victims as Jessie Ehem Sam, 31, of Bogo City, Cebu, who was hit by a lightning on Friday while picking shells and other seafood varieties along the shore of Barangay San Vicente.

The other fatality was identified as five-year-old Mark Anthony Mallari, who was killed when a tree fell on him in Labuan, Zamboanga City.

The NDRRMC added that a certain Samsudin Moccadam, 27, was reported missing in Barangay San Vicente, Sirawai, Zamboanga del Norte.

The municipalities of Sirawai and Siocon in Zamboanga del Norte are still experiencing power outage since Saturday, the NDRRMC said.

Barangay Siocon was also placed on Monday under state of calamity, with around 4,000 families affected by flashfloods, television reports said.

Around 800 people were also evacuated on Monday after flashfloods hit the village of Vitali in Zamboanga City, which was also placed under state of calamity, the reports added.

Several flights were also cancelled on Monday due to the bad weather.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Typhoon Lawin has maintained its strength while moving north northwest as of 11 p.m. Monday.

Lawin was located 375 kilometers (km) east of Virac, Catanduanes as of 10 p.m. and it is moving north northwest at nine kilometers per hour (kph), said Pagasa.

With maximum sustained winds of 185 kph near the center and gustiness of up 220 kph, Lawin is forecast to be at 445 km east of Casiguran, Aurora by Tuesday evening and at 320 km east of Tuguegarao City by Wednesday evening.

Pagasa said Lawin will bring an estimated rainfall amount of 10-20 millimeters per hour (heavy - intense) within its 800 kilometers diameter.

While it is moving north northwest, Lawin enhanced the southwest monsoon, which will continue to bring moderate to heavy rains in Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Pagasa said fishing boats and other small seacrafts should not venture out into the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon and the seaboards of Visayas and Mindanao due to big waves generated by the typhoon. (Emmanuel Louis Bacani/Sunnex)