i TV Pinoy

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

–- Fears that tropical storm Ramil (international code name Lupit) might make a “U-turn” and lash at Northern Luzon again can be put to rest.

Prisco Nilo, administrator of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said that at this point in time it is highly unlikely that Ramil would make a U-turn like what tropical storm Pepeng (Parma) did.

“It’s only possible if there’s another storm that will influence the movement of Ramil. At this point of time, it’s only Ramil in the area. That's not possible to happen,” he said in an interview on ANC Sunday.

In its latest weather bulletin issued at 11 a.m. Sunday, the weather bureau said Ramil continues to move farther away from the country.

As of 10 a.m., the center of “Ramil” was estimated at 680 kilometers Northeast of Basco, Batanes or at 130 km South of Okinawa, Southern Japan. It has maximum winds of 95 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 120 kph.

The tropical storm was moving northeast at 20 kph.

“Most likely, before the end of the day, it’s going to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR),” added Nilo.

Nilo noted that a High Pressure Area (HPA) over the Pacific Ocean is influencing the movement of Ramil.

According to Nilo, the HPA is “pushing the storm in a northeastward direction away from the country.” Aside from the HPA in the Pacific area, another HPA was spotted over Southern China.

Ramil is expected to be 400 km east northeast of Okinawa, Japan by Monday morning.

Scattered showers

Despite the tropical storm’s impending exit from the country, extreme Northern Luzon will still have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms.

The rest of the country, meanwhile, will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds from the northwest to southwest will prevail over Northern Luzon. Coastal waters along Northern Luzon will be moderate to rough.

Winds will be light to moderate elsewhere with slight to moderate seas except during thunderstorms, PAGASA added.

Cloud development

Nilo assured that there will be “generally good weather over the country” in the next 5 days.

He revealed that PAGASA has spotted a potential weather disturbance in the country.

“We are monitoring another cloud development in the Pacific which is 3,500 km east of Mindanao. It may develop into a Low Pressure Area,” he said.

“We will continue to monitor this potential weather disturbance,” assured Nilo.

He said the weather bureau will issue an advisory if the cloud development will become “something significant.”

Affected areas

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) earlier reminded residents in extreme Northern Luzon to continue being on alert. It told people in affected areas not to be complacent even if Ramil is on its way out.

According to the NDCC situation report, a total of 880 families or 3,395 persons conducted preemptive evacuation as “Ramil” hovered over Northern Luzon.

Those who conducted preemptive evacuation came from 27 barangays, 13 municipalities and 1 city in 4 provinces of Regions I, II and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

The NDCC also noted that a 20-meter seawall collapsed in San Antonio, Aparri, Cagayan last week because of a storm surge. This caused 65 families or 182 persons to evacuate. A total of 3 houses were totally damaged.

In addition, 2 road sections and 1 bridge were affected and declared impassable due to Ramil.

These are the Kalinga-Cagayan Road - Aliog Bridge in CAR, Batac-Pinili Road km 487+500 in Ilocos Norte, and Quirino-San Emilio Rd in Ilocos Sur.

Newly-appointed Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Victor Domingo told ANC on Sunday that the initial listing of total damaged roads and bridges amounted to more than P4 billion.

Meanwhile, more than 900 people were killed by tropical storms Ondoy (Ketsana) and Pepeng due to flooding and landslides. Over 186,000 people are still in evacuation centers weeks after the storms left the country, the civil defense office said.

Open dam

According to PAGASA’s Flood Forecasting Branch, only 1 dam out of the 7 major dams in Northern and Central Luzon remained open as of 6 a.m. Sunday.

The Ambuklao dam in Benguet province has 5 gates opened with water release at 27 cubic meters per second.

The Binga dam, meantime, was closed Saturday morning while the Pantabangan dam was closed Friday morning.

The other dams which have been closed earlier were San Roque, Magat, Angat and Ipo.