8 killed, 4 missing due to typhoon “Mina” – NDCC

By Ronron
November 26, 2007

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) reported Monday that eight people have died and four are missing due to unfavorable weather caused by typhoon “Mina.”

According to an NDCC report, seven died in Camarines Sur, one in Camarines Norte, while two are missing from Apayao and two others from a missing aircraft in Palawan (see separate Story 1).

The report identified the fatalities as: 1) Arjay Mago, 7, of Paracale, Camarines Norte; 2) Roger Madrelejos, 26, of Buhi, Camarines Sur; 3) Estela Ceres, 70, of Sangay, Camarines Sur; 4) Bernardo Agpoon, 75, of Pamplona, Camarines Sur; 5) Eustaquio Borosa, 88, of Naga City, Camarines Sur; 6) Joseph Brocante of Baao, Camarines Sur; 7) Leticia Tecson of Caramoan, Camarines Sur; and, 8) Roberto Pabilando, Sr., of Naga City, Camarines Sur.

Most of them died due to drowning, while the rest died due to hypothermia.

Dr. Carmencita Banatin, chief of the Health Emergency Management Staff of the Department of Health, told a news conference yesterday afternoon at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City that the deaths happened from November 22 until the 23rd.

“Mina” entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) last November 21, bringing in rains in the Bicol region and some parts of Visayas. But it only made landfall before midnight of Sunday, particularly in Palanan, Isabela.

The two missing from Apayao, meanwhile, are Felipe and Reiner Abawag of Conner town, the NDCC report said.

According to the 5pm advisory of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), “Mina” weakened into a tropical storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour (kph) only and gustiness of up to 140 kph.

As of 4pm, it was located some 100 kilometers north of Laoag City.

PAGASA said “Mina” is moving north northeast at 11 kph, and is expected to be 330 kilometers northeast of Ilocos Norte or at 80 kilometers northeast of Basco, Batanes this (Tuesday) afternoon.

Because of “Mina,” public storm warning signal number 3 is in effect over Cagayan, Kalinga, Apayao, Abra, Ilocos Norte, Babuyan Group of Islands, and the Batanes Group of Islands.

Public storm warning signal number 2 is also declared over Isabela, Ifugao, Mt. Province, Benguet, La Union and Ilocos Sur. The same signal is in effect over northern Palawan and Calamian Group of Islands because of tropical storm “Lando,” which has re-entered the PAR yesterday morning after being dragged by “Mina,” a natural phenomenon that scientists call as the “Fujiwhara effect.”

Public storm warning signal number 1, meanwhile, is declared in Aurora, Qurino, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Tarlac and Pangasinan due to “Mina,” and in Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Lubang Island, Romblon, the rest of Palawan and in Cuyo Island due to “Lando.”

In the same PAGASA advisory, “Lando” was located at 4pm yesterday 300 kilometers west northwest of Puerto Princesa City, after coming from southern Vietnam.

It also weakened, having maximum sustained winds of 75 kph only and gustiness of up to 90 kph, PAGASA said.

Moving east northeast at 15 kph, “Lando” is expected to be 140 kms west northwest of Coron, Palawan this (Tuesday) afternoon, PAGASA said.

Meanwhile, the third weather disturbance, tropical depression “Nonoy,” is expected to enter the PAR the earliest on Wednesday, said PAGASA.

Earlier, PAGASA officials predicted that “Nonoy” and “Lando” could merge on Thursday over the Philippine sea because of their current track, and could move then northwards to the direction of Japan because of “Mina.”

So far, “Mina” has already affected 88,317 families or 399,033 persons from 827 villages of 829 municipalities, covering 11 provinces from Regions 2, 3, 4-A and 5, the NDCC said in its report at 6pm yesterday.

Out of these, 50,586 families or 231,437 people were evacuated to 642 evacuation centers.

Most of the evacuees are from Region 5, with 49,562 families or 227,277 persons temporarily sheltered at 567 evacuation centers. NDCC spokesman Dr. Anthony Golez said this is because of the possibility that “Lando” will also hit the Bicol Region if it follows its current projected track.

In Region 2, which was directly hit by “Mina,” only 859 families or 3,361 people were evacuated, all staying in 52 evacuation centers.

The least of the evacuees are from Region 3, with 150 families or 750 persons.

So far, 26 houses were totally damaged and 151 others were partially destroyed in the provinces of Kalinga, Apayao and Ilocos Norte because of “Mina,” the NDCC report said.

Its rains and winds have also damaged some 6,075 hectares of agricultural crops, worth P109,648,281.00, Golez said, quoting the Department of Agriculture.

Power outages were reported yesterday in Ilocos Norte, Cagayan and Isabela because some power lines tripped. TRANSCO are already attending to the affected power lines, Golez said.

Expectedly, some roads and bridges were rendered impassable due to flooding, particularly the Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge in Isabela province, the Cordon-Aurora Boundary Road in Quirino province, the Disimungal-Aurora Section also in Quirino, and a few others in Aurora province.

Golez said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo continued until yesterday making personal calls to the governors of the affected provinces to check on the situation on the ground.

Golez said that because of the preemptive actions ordered by the government such as the evacuation of residents in risky areas, only a few casualties were incurred so far.

“Because we were prepared, we have surely mitigated and somehow buffered the impact that will hurt, especially our poor,” Defense Secretary and NDCC chairman Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. said last night./DMS