FLOODS and landslides killed 11 people after a fierce tropical storm dumped heavy rain on the Philippines for a second day, officials said Monday.
Tropical Storm Enteng (international name: Yagi) brushed past the Bicol Region southeast of Manila overnight Sunday and made landfall Monday afternoon over the vicinity of Casiguran, Aurora.
Schools and government offices across the capital Manila were shut for the day, while ferry services in affected areas were suspended, and at least 29 domestic flights were canceled due to the weather.
Malacañang suspended work in government offices in the National Capital Region (NCR) on Monday due to the heavy rains. City governments in Metro Manila and the Senate also called off work.
The Palace suspended classes at all levels in the NCR.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assured the public of the government's readiness to respond to the effects of Enteng.
While the storm signal was lifted in some Luzon areas, Tropical Storm Enteng maintained its strength.
Enteng was expected to intensify into a severe tropical storm within 24 hours after it made landfall in the vicinity of Casiguran, Aurora, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Monday.
Pagasa Administrator Nathaniel Servando told The Manila Times they no longer expected another landfall during the forecast period.
"But we see a significant amount of rainfall somewhere from100-200 millimeters over Ilocos Region, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Isabela, Apayao, Abra, Benguet, and the northern and central portions of Aurora until Tuesday afternoon," he said.
On the one hand, 50-100 mm of rainfall would be expected during the same period over Metro Manila, Zambales, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Rizal, and the rest of Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region and Ilocos Region, the weather agency said.
The Pagasa chief explained this was possible because Enteng has been enhancing the southwest monsoon, locally known as "habagat."
In a 5 p.m. advisory, Pagasa said Signal No. 2 was still up over Ilocos Norte, Apayao, the eastern portion of Kalinga (Rizal, Pinukpuk, City of Tabuk), Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Quirino, and the northern portion of Aurora (Casiguran, Dilasag, Dinalungan and Baler).
Storm Signal No. 1 was raised over Metro Manila, Batanes, Ilocos Sur, La Union, the eastern portion of Pangasinan (Rosales, Asingan, Binalonan, Sison, San Manuel, Santa Maria, Balungao, San Quintin, Tayug, Umingan, Natividad and San Nicolas), Abra, the rest of Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, the rest of Aurora, Nueva Ecija, the eastern portion of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, Norzagaray, City of San Jose del Monte, Obando, City of Meycauayan, Bocaue, Balagtas, Bustos, Baliuag, Pandi, Santa Maria, Marilao, Angat, San Rafael, San Ildefonso and San Miguel), Rizal, the northeastern portion of Laguna (Santa Maria, Mabitac, Pakil, Pangil, Famy and Siniloan), and the northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta and Real) including Polillo Islands.
On Monday, the Ipo Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan, released its excess water, although at a minimal level.
Other dams, including Angat Dam, the main source of water supply for Metro Manila and irrigation needs for adjoining provinces, were under no threat yet of overflowing.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said flight operations were suspended at the Lingayen Airport in Pangasinan around 10 a.m. due to continuous light to moderate rains.
Two flights to and from Manila were canceled at the San Jose Airport in Mindoro, which affected 51 departing passengers and 53 arrivals.
Meanwhile, 10 flights, both departing and arriving, were canceled at the Bicol International Airport, and two canceled flights were reported at the Masbate Airport, affecting nearly 150 passengers. Two canceled flights were also reported at the Virac Airport in Catanduanes, while four flights were canceled at Naga Airport.
Three people, including a pregnant woman, were killed in a landslide Monday in Antipolo, near the equally rain-soaked capital, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.
The chief of the council, Relly Bernardo, said the bodies of four other people, all drowning victims, were recovered Monday in three other areas of the hilly community hours after creeks overflowed overnight.
The Bicol city of Naga was also hard-hit, with a man electrocuted as floodwaters rose and a baby girl drowning, rescuers said.
"The floods were above head height in some areas," Joshua Tuazon of the city's public safety office said, adding that hundreds of residents had been rescued.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said the bad weather had affected 6,052 families or 24,043 individuals in 76 barangays across Regions 5 (Bicol), 7 (Central Visayas), and 8 (Eastern Visayas).
There were 909 families, or 3,736 individuals, seeking temporary refuge in 31 evacuation facilities across three regions.
The DSWD had initially provided P410,000 in relief to the affected households.
More than 300 people remained at evacuation camps Monday, with local officials saying the floodwaters in the city of 210,000 people were slow to ebb.
Two landslides killed two people and damaged five houses in the central city of Cebu on Sunday, the local disaster office there said.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said it was investigating reports of two deaths and 10 injured persons in Central Visayas due to the intense rains brought about by the southwest monsoon that was intensified by Tropical Storm Enteng.
The NDRRMC said reported deaths and missing persons were still being validated.
Fourteen seaports were affected, 12 of them in Bicol and two in Calabarzon.
The National Capital Regional Police Office said they were ready to assist residents in Metro Manila for rescue and relief operations.
NCRPO chief MGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said they have deployed 434 PNP personnel across key areas to ensure the safety and security of communities.
This includes 20 officers assigned to evacuation centers, where they are providing assistance to displaced individuals and families.
"We are also in close coordination with local government units and the NDRRMC to monitor the situation at 575 evacuation centers, where 233 individuals and 75 families are currently taking shelter," he said.
Enteng tore northwards off the coast of Luzon on Monday afternoon with sustained winds of 85 kilometers an hour, up from 75 kilometers an hour earlier in the day, the state weather service said in an updated bulletin.
The Philippine Coast Guard responded to five maritime incidents in Navotas City on Monday at the height of Tropical Storm Enteng.
The first incident involved the LCT GT Express that crashed into the MV Kamilla, an abandoned ship off the Navotas Centennial Park. The abandoned ship caught fire, and 17 crew of the LCT GT Express were rescued.
Residents of Cainta, Rizal wade through waist-deep floods as Typhoon Enteng batters the province on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE Residents of Cainta, Rizal wade through waist-deep floods as Typhoon Enteng batters the province on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE Residents of Cainta, Rizal wade through waist-deep floods as Typhoon Enteng batters the province on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE Residents of Cainta, Rizal wade through waist-deep floods as Typhoon Enteng batters the province on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE Residents of Cainta, Rizal wade through waist-deep floods as Typhoon Enteng batters the province on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE Residents of Cainta, Rizal wade through waist-deep floods as Typhoon Enteng batters the province on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE Residents of Cainta, Rizal wade through waist-deep floods as Typhoon Enteng batters the province on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE Residents of Cainta, Rizal wade through waist-deep floods as Typhoon Enteng batters the province on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE Residents of Cainta, Rizal wade through waist-deep floods as Typhoon Enteng batters the province on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE Residents of Cainta, Rizal wade through waist-deep floods as Typhoon Enteng batters the province on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE Residents of Cainta, Rizal wade through waist-deep floods as Typhoon Enteng batters the province on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE
Meanwhile, two barges ran aground off Bagumbayan North village, also in Navotas City, and accidentally hit and damaged a seawall.
The PCG said one of the barges, ASC Regine, has been towed to the Navotas Fish Port Complex.
More than 2,000 people were stranded in various ports throughout the country on Monday due to the onslaught of Tropical Storm Enteng, the PCG also reported.
The PCG said 2,413 passengers, truck drivers and cargo helpers were reported stranded in Southern Tagalog, Bicol and Eastern Visayas as of Monday morning.
Most of those stranded were in Eastern Visayas with 1,638, followed by Bicol with 750, and Southern Tagalog with 25.
A team from the local government unit of Antipolo City clears debris after a landslide that killed three persons in Sitio Hinapao on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE A team from the local government unit of Antipolo City clears debris after a landslide that killed three persons in Sitio Hinapao on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE A team from the local government unit of Antipolo City clears debris after a landslide that killed three persons in Sitio Hinapao on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE A team from the local government unit of Antipolo City clears debris after a landslide that killed three persons in Sitio Hinapao on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE A team from the local government unit of Antipolo City clears debris after a landslide that killed three persons in Sitio Hinapao on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE A team from the local government unit of Antipolo City clears debris after a landslide that killed three persons in Sitio Hinapao on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE A team from the local government unit of Antipolo City clears debris after a landslide that killed three persons in Sitio Hinapao on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE A team from the local government unit of Antipolo City clears debris after a landslide that killed three persons in Sitio Hinapao on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE A team from the local government unit of Antipolo City clears debris after a landslide that killed three persons in Sitio Hinapao on Monday, September 2, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE
On the other hand, 39 vessels, 610 rolling cargoes, and four motorized bancas were also stranded, while 15 vessels and 28 motor bancas were taking shelter in other ports.
In Metro Manila, the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said it was working to restore power services in areas affected by Tropical Storm Enteng.
According to its last report, there were 28,256 affected customers in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, Rizal, Quezon and Batangas.
The Department of Energy said, however, that 6,458 (22.85 percent) out of 28,256 affected customers would remain without power due to flooding.
"Our crews are working to restore power service to affected areas as soon as possible. We continue to monitor the situation and urge our customers to practice electrical safety," Meralco vice president and head of Corporate Communications Joe Zaldarriaga said.
About 20 big storms and typhoons hit the Philippines or its surrounding waters each year, damaging homes and infrastructure and killing dozens of people.
WITH MOISES CRUZ, KRISTINA MARALIT, ED PAOLO SALTING AND AFP