PAGASA: No landfall for Bising

MANILA, Philippines (3rd UPDATE) – Public storm warning signals across the country were lifted as tropical depression Bising moved farther from the Philippines. 

State weather bureau PAGASA said Bising is not expected to make landfall anymore based on its projected track and behavior. 

But Luzon will still experience light to moderate rainshowers, while Visayas and Mindanao can expect brief rainshowers and thunderstorms due to the northeast monsoon or the amihan, said PAGASA weather forecaster Aldzar Aurelio.

“There won’t be rain due to the tropical cyclone but there will be rain because of the amihan,” Aurelio said. 

As of 4 pm, Bising was spotted at 390 km east of Baler, Aurora (15.6°N, 125.6°E). It maintained its strength — packing maximum winds of 45 km/h near the center — and continued to move faster north-northwest at 22 km/h. 

Bising is the second storm to enter the country this year.

PAGASA said moderate to heavy rainfall (5-15 mm/h) is expected within the 300 km diameter of Bising, and small seacrafts and fishing boats are advised not to venture out into the seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon, and over the eastern seaboards of Southern Luzon and Visayas.

Bising is expected to either maintain its strength or weaken as it moves towards the north and meets with the cold winds of the northeast monsoon or the amihan, said PAGASA weather forecaster Jori Loiz.

“There will be cold air intrusions. When cold winds enter a storm or tropical depression, it has a tendency to weaken, especially in seasons like this where we have the amihan,” Loiz said.

LPA brings floods

PAGASA had earlier said the weather disturbance will also bring rain over portions of Mindanao, including Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental, places that have barely recovered from a killer typhoon that claimed over 1,000 lives and wrought up to P8.31-B in damages.

As of 7 am Saturday, a total of 3,620 families or 13,222 individuals were affected by flooding incidents in the regions of Davao, Soccsksargen and Caraga as a result of rains brought about by Bising when it was still a low pressure area, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.

A total of 1,880 families or 7,565 individuals are in 25 evacuation centers. There were no reported casualties.

The NDRRMC also reported an estimated P1.5-M worth of damages from Nurcia Integrated School Science Laboratory in Lanuza, Surigao del Sur.

Passengers stranded

Some 2,124 passengers, 140 trucks and buses and 8 small sea crafts were stranded in major ports in the Bicol Region when storm warning signal 1 was hoisted over Albay, Sorsogon, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes Saturday morning, a Philippine News Agency report said. 

Cebu Pacific cancelled flights to Legazpi City for Saturday, said Bernardo Alejandro, Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) chair in Bicol. 

Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines also cancelled flights to Tuguegarao City. 

Bising is expected to be at 500 km East of Basco, Batanes by Sunday afternoon and at 930 km Northeast of Basco, Batanes by Monday afternoon. 

By Tuesday morning, it is expected to be outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility. – Rappler.com