‘Mina’ packs 150 kph winds; signal No. 3 up in C’duanes

Typhoon Mina (international codename: Mitag) has gained strength, packing maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph, state weather agency said late Thursday night. In its 11 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Mina was plotted 320 kilometers East of Virac, Catanduanes ( coordinates: 14.1°N 127.4°E). Signal No. 3 (100-185 kph winds) is up over Catanduanes. Pagasa said Mina is moving west at 15 kph and on Friday evening, it is forecast 90 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes. On Saturday evening, Mina would be near Alabat, Quezon, and on Sunday evening, 220 km west northwest of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro. Areas having Signal No. 2 (60-100 kph winds) are the following: 1. Sorsogon 2. Albay 3. Burias Island 4. Camarines Norte 5. Camarines Sur 6. Southern Quezon 7. Polillo Island 8. Northern Samar Areas having signal No. 1 (30-60 kph winds) are the following: 1. Masbate 2. Romblon 3. Marinduque 4. Batangas 5. Laguna 6. Rest of Quezon 7. Aurora 8. Rizal 9. Oriental Mindoro 10. Samar 11. Eastern Samar 12. Biliran Island ‘Lando’ death toll at 14 Enhancing the northeast monsoon, Mina brought heavy rains that rendered several roads impassable in Southern Luzon as of Thursday night. As this developed, the death toll from tropical storm "Lando" reached 14 as of 6 p.m. Thursday, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said in a report on its website (www.ndcc.gov.ph) Thursday night. The NDCC said heavy rains rendered the national highway along Lalakay village in Los Baños and Gatid village in Sta. Cruz towns in Laguna not passable to light vehicles. Several families in at least 13 villages in Siniloan town in Laguna were evacuated to safer places. The National Resource Operations Center has set aside P44.381 million, including P3.202 million in standby funds and P41.178 million in relief goods, in preparation for "Mina." The NDCC said the death toll from "Lando" went up to 14, including seven in Caraga, one in Central Visayas, two in Eastern Visayas, three in Region 4-B, and one in Region 10. At least 11 were reported injured while six remained missing, including Edmund Lazarte, 65, of Negros Oriental who went fishing; and Rey Flores, Leonard Santiago, Romeo Albios, Gimar Esmelles and Rogelio Jimenez of Aklan, who also went fishing. The NDCC estimated the damage to property at P148.753 million, including P15.263 million in agriculture, P72.710 million in infrastructure, and P60.780 million in property. NDCC also said the road section in Libon-Pantay Road remains impassable, while the Liloan-San Francisco Road was only half-lane passable due to landslide. Bridge abutments were damaged at San Roque Bridge, San Juan Bridge, Timba Bridge, and Iniguihan Bridge, while the Tabango-Catmon-Minlawaan-Gimarco Road and Abungaan-Tabunok, Consuerga Road and Tugas Bridge were unpassable due to road slips. The Misamis Oriental Highway along Magsaysay was temporarily closed due to landslide while the provincial road along Panyaga village in Manticao, Misamis Oriental was partially damaged. The Tubod bridge in Tubod, Lanao del Norte had only one lane passable. At least 304 houses were damaged, 87 of them totally. Some 7,234 families or 35,322 persons were affected, but of these, 1,337 families or 5,325 persons remained in evacuation centers. - GMANews.TV