DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/17 January) – Public storm warning signal number 1 has been raised over seven Mindanao provinces and Southern Leyte as tropical depression Agaton is moving towards Mindanao, whose 14 of 26 provinces have yet to recover from the impact of the low pressure area (LPA) that left at least 34 dead.
Signal 1 was raised over Surigao del Norte including Siargao Island, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Province, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley and Southern Leyte, according to the 5 p.m. bulletin of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical and Services Administration (PAGASA).
The center of “Agaton,” the low pressure area that left Mindanao with at least 34 dead from landslides and flashfloods since Saturday and was already southeast of Guiuian, Eastern Samar when it developed into a tropical depression, was estimated as of 10 p.m. Friday, at 180 km northeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur or 220 km east of Surigao City, PAGASA said’s Weather Bulletin Number Three issued at 11 p.m. said.
Agaton’s maximum winds were estimated at 55 kph near the center and is forecast to move west at 5 kph.
The Weather Bulletin said Agaton is expected to be at 70 km North of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur by Saturday evening, at 50 km North of Davao City by Sunday evening and 75 km South of Cotabato City by Monday evening.
PAGASA said the estimated rainfall amount is from 5 to 15 mm per hour ((moderate – heavy) within a 300 km diameter.
Agaton is expected to bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms over Central Visayas and the rest of Eastern Visayas, and sea travel is risky over the seaboards of Luzon, Visayas and Caraga Region.
Continuous rains due to an LPA since last Saturday triggered floods and landslides that left 34 dead, 65 injured and 7 missing in four of six Mindanao regions – Western Mindanao, Northern Mindanao, Davao and Caraga regions – according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (NDRRMC) Situational Report 11 as of 6 a.m 17 January.
The LPA also affected 97,153 families or 463,527 persons in 467 barangays in 72 towns in 14 provinces in Regions 10, 11 and Caraga, with 212.661 families in 358 evacuation centers, the NDRRMC report said.
The LPA also left 602 houses totally damaged and 713 partially damaged in regions 10, 11 and Caraga and destroyed14 bridges, 44 roads and eight public infrastructure.
Over 12,000 hectares of agricultural land were also destroyed in region 11 and Caraga.
A state of calamity has been declared in Kauswagan and Kapataganin Lanao del Norte; in Kapalong, Carmen, Asuncion, New Corella, Tagum City in Davao del Norte;
in Tarragona, Manay, Caraga, Baganga, Cateel and Boston in Davao Oriental;
Sta. Josefa, Sibagat, Bunawan in Agusan del Sur; and in Butuan City, Davao Oriental.
Of the 34 dead, nine were from Davao Oriental; six each from Dinagat and Compostela Valley provinces; five from Surigao del Norte; four from Agusanl del Norte; two from Misamis Occidental; and one each from Davao del Norte and Zamboanga del Norte. (MindaNews)