Typhoon death toll climbs to 15; ship stranded
Fifteen people have been reported killed and 29 injured in the wake of torrential rains in Luzon spawned by typhoon Gloria (international codename: Chata'an), the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) reported Monday morning.
A passenger ship, meanwhile, was stranded off the coast of Batangas province Sunday night when its engine conked out. The M/V Cotabato Princess had 361 passengers on board when it left Manila Sunday for Leyte province.
NDCC chief Melchor Rosales said the latest casualties included two boys killed in a landslide in San Mateo, Rizal, and one person who drowned in Hermosa, Bataan.
Rosales said the mother and sister of the landslide victims were brought to a hospital, bringing to 29 the number of injured.
Three of the 15 recorded deaths were South Korean tourists who drowned when their boat capsized in rough waters south of Manila on Saturday.
The Koreans were en route to Puerto Galera south of Batangas when disaster struck. Three other people, including two South Koreans from the same party, are missing.
Landslides, drownings and a road accident accounted for the 10 other deaths.
Rosales also said at least 10,495 people have been displaced by floods due to continuous rains over the weekend, many of them urban poor squatting on land beside open sewers and rivers. He added relief operations continue in affected areas.
"There has been continuous heavy rain for the past eight hours" in the northern Philippines, Rosales said over local television.
"There are two weather systems affecting the country now. One is a typhoon to the east about 1,200 kilometers [744 miles] away, but one is a low pressure area about 400 kilometers [248 miles] east" of the Batan island group near the Philippine sea border with Taiwan.
"These are now pulling the monsoon rains northward."
The government declared a holiday in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces, with some of the buildings used to house those who fled rising waters.
The government warned residents in northern and eastern Metro Manila to be prepared to leave their homes just in case the authorities have to let off water from La Mesa, the capital's main tap water reservoir, which was within five meters (16.5 feet) from overflowing.
The skies over Metro Manila, a metropolis of nearly 11 million people, remained overcast Monday with some roads still under water.
Hardest hit were Metro Manila, central and northern Luzon, where numerous municipalities have been under water since Saturday.
NDCC said Kennon road leading to Baguio City and the Cordillera region has been rendered impassable. Motorists were advised to use either Marcos highway or Naguilian road.
2 more weather disturbances
The weather bureau warned that two more weather disturbances were threatening the country. More rains are to be expected, particularly in the western and northern parts of Luzon.
"Typhoon Gloria is not expected to directly hit the country, but it will spawn more rains, a low pressure area and a typhoon east of Mindanao, however, have been spotted" said Prisco Nilo, chief forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
Nilo said the weather disturbances were forecast to enter the Philippines' area of responsibility by Monday. He added that heavy rains were likely to fall over Pangasinan, La Union and Tarlac.
Rosales issued a flood alert and advised residents in low-lying areas of the three provinces to take precautionary measures even as relief operations continue.
As of 2:00 a.m., Pagasa said Gloria was spotted 1,240 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes, with a maximum wind speed of 170 kph and gustiness of up to 205 kph. It was moving at 20 kph toward the general direction of Japan. The low pressure area, on the other hand, was spotted 430 kilometers northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.
Classes in Metro Manila and adjacent provinces were called off.
Stranded ship
M/V Cotabato Princess encountered mechanical trouble off Batangas Sunday night.
Solcon 2, a sister vessel , was dispatched to tow M/V Cotabato Princess but it had difficulty in doing the job.
Philippine Coast Guard chief Reuben Lista said the BRP Kalinga was sent to the area to assist passengers and crew of the stranded vessel.
A passenger of M/V Cotabato Princess, Flordeliz Ortiz, told radio dzMM that the ship's power went out Sunday night.
She said though there were enough provisions for food and that passengers were safe.
Megadike holds
In Pampanga, several towns were ravaged by neck-deep floodwaters, but megadikes along major river channels prevented massive lahar flows, Gov. Lito Lapid said.
"The megadikes are working, there are no casualties reported so far in Pampanga but floodwaters struck San Fernando City and the municipalities of Minalin, Macabebe, Masantol, Lubao, Guagua, Sta. Rita, Sto. Tomas and Minalin," Lapid said.
In San Fernando, Lapid said floodwater rose to as high as six feet in some areas, even as evacuation of residents continue.
Several towns in Bulacan were also reported to be under water since Saturday morning.abs-cbnNEWS.com monitor//
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