ASEANEWS HEADLINE-ENVIRONMENT | MANILA, Philippines: Typhoon Tino leaves Cebu in deep floods
Video released by resident Don del Rosario shows the cars submerged in floodwaters at the height of the downpour./ AFP
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48 dead, dozens missing
MANILA, Philippines — At least 48 people were killed, dozens remain missing and hundreds of thousands have been displaced as Typhoon Tino battered several parts of the Visayas with heavy rains, strong winds and widespread flooding yesterday, the Office of Civil Defense reported.
OCD spokesman Junie Castillo reported that most of the fatalities were from Central Visayas, while two were from the Negros Island Region and one each from Western and Eastern Visayas.
“Most of the deaths were caused by drowning due to massive flooding and landslides, while others were hit by falling debris,” Castillo said, adding that the figures were still subject to validation by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
Being the hardest hit province, the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) reported nine casualties including one death each in Barangays Cogon Pardo, Sapangdaku, Talamban, Poblacion-Pardo and Guadalupe and two each in Barangays Bacayan and Kalunasan.
There were 15 fatalities in Compostela; eight in Danao City and seven in Talisay City.
Another nine fatalities were reported in Mandaue City, including residents from Barangays Tabok, Paknaan, Cabancalan, Umapad and Canduman.
Many victims were swept away by flash floods from the Butuanon River or buried by collapsing soil.
A family of four died in Sapangdaku after their home was buried in a landslide, while a four-month-old infant in Cogon Pardo drowned when her mother slipped while fleeing rising waters.
Mayor Nestor Archival and acting Vice Mayor Winston Pepito reported that 95 percent of riverside homes in the city’s North District were washed away overnight.
Across the Visayas and Mindanao, nearly 387,000 people were preemptively evacuated, while about 60,000 others were directly affected by flooding and power outages, according to the OCD.
In Bohol, over 43,000 families or about 215,000 people sought refuge in evacuation centers across 47 towns and Tagbilaran City due to rising waters.
One fatality was reported – Rolando Millan Liquit, a barangay tanod from Panglao, who was struck by a falling coconut tree while clearing debris.
In Eastern Samar, Guiuan’s island barangays of Homonhon and Suluan were among the worst hit.
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Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales said 30 percent of homes were destroyed while the rest suffered partial damage.
“Our priority now is to provide food, clean water and temporary shelters as residents begin rebuilding,” Gonzales said.
Eight electric cooperatives remain without power in affected areas, while landslides and floods blocked key roads in Cebu, Talisay and parts of the Transcentral Highway.
Rescue and relief operations are ongoing, with teams from the Armed Forces, Coast Guard, Bureau of Fire Protection and local governments deployed across affected regions.
As of Tuesday evening, Cebu and nearby provinces remained under Signal No. 2 as authorities warned residents to stay alert for possible flash floods and landslides amid continuing rains.
Suspensions, canceled flights, trips
Flights, sea trips, classes and exams were suspended across several regions as Typhoon Tino brought heavy rains, strong winds and dangerous sea conditions yesterday.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) halted all types of sea travel in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi areas due to rough seas spawned by the storm.
PCG Zamboanga Station commander Lt. Cmdr. Tristan Jener Erediano said the suspension covers all vessels regardless of size to prevent possible sea disasters.
The move stranded hundreds of passengers at the Zamboanga port, while others opted to return home.
At Macabalan Port in Cagayan de Oro, more than 100 passengers were stranded as operations were halted due to the typhoon.
Two ferries – M/V Maria Rebecca of Montenegro Lines and M/V Antonia of Aleson Shipping – collided at Jolo port amid strong waves, though no one was reported injured.
Due to these disruptions, over 4,740 passengers and port workers were left stranded, along with 104 vessels, 45 motorized boats, and 1,649 cargo trucks that were unable to leave port due to rough sea conditions, according to PCG.
Aside from sea travel, air travel was likewise disrupted as local airlines canceled multiple domestic and international flights yesterday.
Philippine Airlines grounded 124 domestic and four international flights from Cebu to Seoul and Tokyo, while Cebu Pacific canceled 68 domestic and four international routes to Japan.
Cebgo also suspended 58 domestic flights, AirAsia halted 49, Airswift called off six, Sunlight Air canceled four and T’way Air suspended one flight due to Typhoon Tino.
Most affected routes were between Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, Clark and various destinations in the Visayas and Mindanao.
Passengers were urged to check with the airlines for updates, rebookings or refunds.
According to the carriers, the cancellations may extend until Wednesday.
Meanwhile, several local governments declared class suspensions due to inclement weather.
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In Cavite, Governor Francisco Remulla suspended face-to-face classes in all levels across public and private schools, advising institutions to shift to online or modular learning modes for safety.
Zamboanga City also suspended classes as rains persisted.
Although the weather bureau lifted Signal No. 1 in Cagayan de Oro City, local authorities maintained the suspension of classes and work in public offices as ordered by Mayor Rolando Uy.
The Professional Regulation Commission, for its part, postponed the Nurses Licensure Examination scheduled in Cebu, Iloilo and Tacloban and moved the dates of the tests to Nov. 6 and 7 due to the storm’s impact.
Weather update
Typhoon Tino maintained its strength Tuesday afternoon as it crossed Panay Island and moved toward the Sulu Sea, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the typhoon’s center was over Patnongon, Antique, packing maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 180 kph. It was moving northwest at 15 kph, with strong to typhoon-force winds extending up to 300 kilometers from the center.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4 remained raised over parts of Western Visayas and Palawan, including Calamian and Cuyo Islands, central and southern Antique, parts of Iloilo (including Iloilo City) and Guimaras. Typhoon-force winds of 118 to 184 kph may be experienced in these areas within 12 hours.
Signal No. 3 is up over Aklan, Capiz, the rest of Antique and Iloilo, northern Negros provinces and the northern portion of mainland Palawan, while lower signals remain in effect over parts of MIMAROPA, Bicol and Central Visayas.
PAGASA warned of heavy to intense rains that may trigger flooding and landslides, and storm surges exceeding three meters along coastal areas in Western Visayas, Negros, Mindoro and Palawan.
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Sea travel remains risky due to very rough to extremely rough seas reaching up to six meters.
Tino is expected to cross northern Palawan early today and exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) by late tonight or early Thursday, possibly re-intensifying over the West Philippine Sea.
Uwan nears, may become super typhoon
Meanwhile, PAGASA said a low-pressure area south of Guam has developed into a tropical depression outside the PAR.
As of 2 p.m. yesterday, it was located 1,910 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao, moving westward at 20 kph with maximum sustained winds of 55 kph and gusts up to 70 kph.
The system may enter PAR by Friday evening or Saturday, at which point it will be named Uwan.
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Forecasts indicate it could strengthen into a typhoon by Thursday and possibly reach super typhoon intensity over the weekend as it moves west-northwest toward the Philippine Sea.
While still far from the country, PAGASA said a potential landfall over the Philippines cannot be ruled out. It advised local governments and residents to closely monitor updates and prepare for possible impacts. — Rudy Santos, Gerry Lee-Gorit, Mayen Jaymalin, Bella Cariaso, Roel Pareño, Delon Porcalla, Ric Obedencio, Michael Punongbayan, Christine Boton, Freeman
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