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Saturday, December 09, 2006
Signal 1 up in Cebu due to 'Seniang'
CEBU CITY -- A tropical storm packing maximum winds of 95 kilometers an hour was barreling toward central Philippines, which was the reason for canceling Asean and East Asia summits next week.
As of 11 Friday night, tropical Storm "Seniang" intensified and increased its threat to the Samar-Leyte area.
Sun.Star Network Online's 12th Asean Summit Watch
Seniang is expected to make landfall over Southern Samar at noon Saturday.
Tonight, it forecast to be 90 kilometers north, northwest of Cebu City. On Sunday night, it will 120 kilometers south southwest of Coron, Palawan.
Signal number 1 is in effect over Cebu, Bohol, Negros Provinces, Guima-ras Island, Iloilo, Capiz, Antique, Aklan, Siquijor Island. It is also hoisted over Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Romblon and Burias Island.
These places can expect 30 to 60 kph winds.
Signal number 2 was raised over Samar, Biliran Island, Leyte Provinces, and Dinagat and Siargao Islands.
Eastern Samar is under signal number 3, with 100 to 185 kph winds expected in this area.
Joel Desusa, a forecaster with the Philippine weather bureau, said: "Ninety-five kilometers may not sound very strong but it is enough to cause serious damage here in the Philippines. It can uproot trees and destroy huts."
Desusa said the storm was expected to keep to its current path over Samar and northern Cebu towards the northern tip of the western island of Palawan.
"After then we expect it will intensify into a typhoon with winds in excess of 145 kilometers an hour as it heads into the South China Sea."
Seniang comes days after typhoon Reming slammed into the Bicol region, leaving more than 1,300 dead or missing.
Earlier Friday, Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal asked Cebuanos to pray that the storm will not ruin preparations for Asean summit.
In response to the typhoon warning, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña met with Vice Mayor Michael Rama, city councilors, and department heads Friday morning to make plans.
After the meeting, the council declared a state of preparedness so City Hall can tap its calamity funds in purchasing fuel and other needed items.
The City is preparing for the worst, with coastal barangays to be evacuated, and relief goods and other basic needs sent today to mountain barangays in anticipation that roads would be cut off by landslides, isolating the barangays.
Shortly after the meeting, which lasted until noon Friday, Osmeña asked the Cebuanos to prepare by storing water, checking their fire extinguishers, and sharing generator sets with neighbors.
"This is a trying period for the City of Cebu.... Let us show how good the Cebuanos are. We are not going to back down from this. Let us show that Cebu is number one," the mayor said.
It was agreed that the City's Department of Public Service office at the North Reclamation Area will serve as operations center for the typhoon.
Osmeña, Rama, and City Administrator Francisco Fernandez will take turns manning the center so there will always be someone responsible who will call the shots. (RHM of Sun.Star Cebu/AFP)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (December 9, 2006 issue)
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