‘Nando’ could drench today’s ‘flood mess’ rallies
Heavy rains and floods brought by Typhoon “Nando” (international name: Ragasa) could dampen—or actually fire up even more—the mass demonstrations being held today against massive corruption in government, particularly in flood control projects.
In its 5 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Nando was last spotted 770 kilometers east of Echague, Isabela, with maximum sustained wind speed of 140 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of 170 kph.
It was moving northwestward at 10 kph.
Nando is expected to intensify into a supertyphoon by Monday before passing near the Batanes-Babuyan Islands.
‘Habagat’
The weather bureau warned of heavy rainfall due to southwest monsoon, or “habagat,” in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces Rizal, Cavite, Batangas, and Occidental Mindoro on Sunday.
At 5 p.m. on Saturday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council raised the alert status from blue to red. Police across northern Luzon have also been placed on alert.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 was raised over the following areas in Luzon: Batanes, Cagayan (including the Babuyan Islands), Isabela, Quirino; the northeastern portion of Nueva Vizcaya, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mountain Province, Ifugao, and Ilocos Norte.
The northern portion of Ilocos Sur (Sinait, Cabugao, San Juan, Magsingal, San Vicente, San Ildefonso, Santo Domingo, Bantay, Santa Catalina, City of Vigan, Santa, Caoayan), northern and central portions of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Baler); and northern and central Catanduanes (Pandan, Caramoran, Bagamanoc, Panganiban, Viga, Gigmoto, San Miguel, and Baras). —WITH REPORTS FROM MARY JOY SALCEDO, JASON SIGALES, AND GABRYELLE DUMALAG
