DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/31 January) – Public Storm Warning Signal 2 has been raised over Caraga region and Camiguin province and seven other areas are under signal 1, as tropical depression ‘Basyang’ intensified into a storm and is expected to make landfall over Southern Leyte and the northern part of Surigao del Norte late Friday night or early Saturday morning, the latest weather advisory said.
Weather Bulletin 4 of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) issued at 11 a.m. Friday (January 31) said ‘Basyang’ was located at around 10 a.m. at 500 kilometers east northeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, packing 65 kph winds near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.
Basyang is moving westward at 30 kph.
Signal 2 has been raised over the provinces of Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte including Siargao Island, and the northern parts of Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Norte.
In the Visayas, Signal 2 has been raised over Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Eastern Samar, Samar and Camotes Island.
Signal 1 remains over Misamis Oriental and the rest of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Norte; Misamis Occidental, northern part of Bukidnon and Zamboanga del Norte.
All together, storm warning signals have been raised over nine Mindanao provinces: Camiguin, Dinagat, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Bukidnon and Zamboanga del Norte.
In the Visayas, Signal 1 has been raised over Northern Samar, Biliran Island, Aklan, Capiz, Antique, Iloilo, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor
Tropical depression Basyang is the second storm to hit Mindanao — after ‘Agaton,’ the low pressure area that entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on January 11 and intensified into a tropical depression by January 17 and weakened into an LPA by January 20.
‘Agaton’ battered several regions in Mindanao, particularly Caraga and Davao regions. It left 68 persons dead, 85 injured and nine still missing in Regions 9 (Western Mindanao or the Zamboanga region), 10 (Northern Mindanao), 11 (Southern Mindanao or the Davao regions) and Caraga, according to Situation Report 31 issued at 6 a.m. January 30 by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
It also affected 244,344 families or 1.14 million residents in 1,002 barangays in 118 towns in 16 provinces of Regions 10, 11, 12 (Southwestern Mindanao), Caraga and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Of this number, 16,751 families or 81,379 persons were displaced and served inside 205 evacuation centers, the NDRRMC report said.
Weather Bulletin 4 said ‘Basyang’ is expected to be in the vicinity of Naga City, Cebu by Saturday morning and at 133 km northwest of Puerto Princesa City by Sunday morning. By Monday morning, it is expected to be at 729 km west northwest of Puerto Princesa City or outside the Philippine Area of Responsibiliyu. R.
The bulletin also said residents living in low lying and mountainous areas under Signals 1 and 2 are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides and possible storm surges in coastal areas under Signal 1.
Estimated rainfall amount is from 5 to 15 mm per hour or moderate to heavy, within the 400 km diameter of the Tropical Depression. (MindaNews)
