DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/31 January) – Tropical depression “Basyang,” the second storm to hit Caraga and Northern Mindanao in two weeks is expected to make landfall late Friday or early evening “over Surigao provinces,” the latest weather advisory said.
‘Basyang’ is the second storm to hit Mindanao — after ‘Agaton,’ the low pressure area that entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on January 11 and intensified into a tropical depression by January 17 and weakened into an LPA by January 20.
‘Agaton’ battered several regions in Mindanao, particularly Caraga and Davao regions. It left 68 persons dead, 85 injured and nine still missing in Regions 9 (Western Mindanao or the Zamboanga region), 10 (Northern Mindanao), 11 (Southern Mindanao or the Davao regions) and Caraga, according to Situation Report 31 issued at 6 a.m. January 30 by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
‘Agaton’ affected 244,344 families or 1.14 million residents in 1,002 barangays in 118 towns in 16 provinces of Regions 10, 11, 12 (Southwestern Mindanao), Caraga and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Of this number, 16,751 families or 81,379 persons were displaced and served inside 205 evacuation centers, the NDRRMC report said.
Weather Bulletin 3 of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) issued at 5 a.m. January said ‘Basyang’ was located at 768 kilometers east northeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, packing 55 kph winds and moving westward at 30 kph.
No additional area in Mindanao was placed under public storm warning signal 1 aside from the seven provinces in Caraga region and Northern Mindanao but at least seven more areas in Visayas were placed under Signal 1.
Storm Signal 1 remains hoisted over the Caraga region’s Surigao del Norte including Siargao Island, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Agusan del Norte and the northern part of Agusan del Sur; and Northern Mindanao’s Camiguin Island and Misamis Oriental.
Additional areas place under Signal 1 in the Visayas aside from Bohol, Southern Leyte and the southern part of Leyte are: southern part of Samar, southern part of Eastern Samar, Leyte including Biliran, Southern Leyte, Camotes Island, Cebu, Negros provinces, Siquijor Island and Bohol.
Weathern Bulletin 3 said ‘Basyang’ is expected at 152 km north northeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur by Saturday morning and at 189 km northeast of Puerto Princesa City by Sunday morning.
By Monday morning it is expected to be at 706 km northwest of Puerto Princesa City or outside the PAR.
Weather Bulletin 2 issued at 11 pm Friday expected ‘Basyang’ out of the PAR by Sunday evening.
Weather Bulletin 3 also said residents living in low lying and mountainous areas under public storm warning signal are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides.
Estimated rainfall amount is from 5 to 15 mm per hour or moderate to heavy, within the 300 km diameter of the Tropical Depression. (MindaNews)