Storm signal no. 1 up in 6 Luzon areas

MANILA (Updated) – The state weather bureau has hoisted public storm warning signal over six areas in Luzon Tuesday night, as Typhoon "Lawin" (international codename: Jelawat) has maintained its strength and continues to move towards the Cagayan-Batanes area.

Placed under storm signal number 1 are the provinces of Apayao, Isabela, and Cagayan, including the Calayan, Babuyan, and Batanes Group of Islands, as these areas experience 30-60 kilometers per hour (kph) due to Lawin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.

Residents living in low lying and mountainous areas under storm warning signal number 1 are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides.

As of 10 p.m. Tuesday, Lawin was located at 450 kilometers (km) east of Casiguran, Aurora province, the Pagasa said.

With maximum sustained winds of 205 kph near the center and gustiness of up 240 kph, Lawin is moving north northwest at 11 kph, the Pagasa added.

Lawin is expected to be at 355 km east of Aparri, Cagayan by Wednesday evening and at 90 km southeast of Basco, Batanes by Thursday evening, the country’s weather agency said.

Estimated rainfall amount is from 10-20 millimeter per hour (heavy - intense) within the 850 km diameter of the Lawin, the 12th cyclone in the country this year.

Southwest monsoon enhanced by the typhoon will continue to bring moderate to heavy rains in Southern Luzon and Visayas.

In Davao City, strong winds continue to whip through three barangays in Marilog district damaging at least five houses since Saturday.

Chona Espinosa, radio operator of the Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DCDRRMC), said four of the houses were damaged while the fifth one was destroyed.

Based on the initial reports gathered by the City Social Services and Development Office (CSDDO), the affected areas are sitios Maligaya and Sto. Niño in Barangay Marilog and Bagong Silang in Barangay Baganihan and Purok 6 in Barangay Buda.

Gerry F. Pedrico, head of the Pagasa-Davao, said the residents should prepare because there will still be scattered rain showers and thunderstorms within this week in some areas of the city.

"Though Typhoon ‘Lawin’ is far from us pero sa kakusog niya maabot gihapon iyang hangin in other parts of the country, especially sa mga kabukiran. I suggest mas maayo kung mag andam lang ang tanan, safety first (its gustiness reaches a wide part of the country, especially those in the mountains. People should be on alert and should always think of their safety first)," Pedrico said.

Meanwhile, two persons were killed while one remained missing due to the typhoon, the state's risk reduction council said.

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.

Fishing boat and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out into the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon, the seaboards of Visayas and eastern seaboard of Mindanao due to big waves generated by Lawin. (Sunnex)