'Henry' moves away, floods remain in some provinces

Tropical storm "Henry" moved away from the Philippine area of responsibility Tuesday morning, sighted by weathermen crossing the South China Sea. However, five provinces in northern Luzon remained under Storm Signal 1. These include Ilocos Sur, Abra, La Union, Pangasinan and Zambales. No casualties were reported as of Tuesday morning but "Henry" left 31 villages in three provinces in Luzon flooded. National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) head Glenn Rabonza said Tuesday that portions of Tarlac, Zambales and Nueva Ecija remained flooded and that some families remained in evacuation centers. "In San Narciso town in Zambales, 36 families are in evacuation centers. But there was no need for evacuation in other areas that were flooded," Rabonza said in an interview on DZBB radio. Still flooded as of Tuesday morning were the towns of Ramos, La Paz, Moncada, Paniqui and Camiling in Tarlac province; San Narciso in Zambales; and Guimba in Nueva Ecija. "This disturbance is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon that will bring occasional rains over western section of Luzon and Visayas," the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said. State weather forecasters said Tuesday morning that "Henry" was last spotted 180 km west northwest of Dagupan City, Pangasinan. It packed maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and moved west at 19 kph. It was expected to be 500 km west northwest of Dagupan by Wednesday morning, and 870 kms west northwest of Laoag, Ilocos Norte by the following day. Pagasa cautioned residents in provinces under storm signals to remain alert against possible flash floods and landslides. Western sections of Northern and Central Luzon will have rains and gusty winds with moderate to rough seas. The rest of Western Luzon and Western Visayas will experience occasional monsoon rains. TAGUIG In Metro Manila, local officials in Taguig City prepared to evacuate some 23 families from an area in danger of being hit by mudslides due to rains caused by tropical depression Henry. Taguig Mayor Freddie Tinga already ordered the Fort Bonifacio satellite government center and barangay (village) officials in Western Bicutan to evacuate the residents but they refused.-GMANews.TV