Ompong causes fallen trees, landslides, stranded passengers in provinces

Strong waves, winds, and heavy rainfall met Filipinos around the country on Saturday morning as Typhoon Ompong (international name: Mangkhut) passed over Laoag City, as seen in various reports on Balitanghali.

In one report by Mariz Umali, the wind in Baguio City was strong enough to push people, trees, and electrical posts over as well as nearly peeling galvanized roofs off houses.

Despite the dangerous weather, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) immediately set to work to remove fallen trees especially in the Abanao Exit area.

Because of the heavy rainfall, creeks have overflown and flooded flood-prone areas of Barangay Rock Quarry and City Camp Lagoon in addition to triggering landslides that injured at least two people at the residence of the Tapul Family.

According to the Baguio City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), the injured were rushed from the Tapul's home at Purok 2 Outlook to the Baguio General Hospital after a landslide hit their home at 6 a.m.

The GMA Kapuso Foundation is distributing goods along with Baguio LGU at the CDRRMO headquarters.

Meanwhile, Sandra Aguinaldo reported similarly strong winds in Vigan, Ilocos Norte that left debris from wrecked roofs and trees strewn about the city and Cagayan residents without electricity.

The airport of San Fernando City, La Union was temporarily converted into an evacuation center for residents near coastal cities, where they are given free food by sponsors.

In a light-hearted moment, residents and stranded passengers forced to stay at a dormitory in Aparri, Cagayan by the weather managed to do some karaoke while waiting for the rain to pass.

Some surfers in Baler, Aurora also risked their lives to ride the meter-high waves brought by the storm.

Overwhelming risk was also taken by two children in Cedric Castillo's report about Negros Occidental as they jumped down the branches of a falling tree they had climbed on to down to its roots for safety.

The children were eventually rescued from the tree, where they took refuge to avoid being swept away by surging floodwaters.

Floodwaters also forced 200 families to evacuate their homes in Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro and hampered the travel of many in Calintaan.

More than 1,000 passengers and 300 sea vessles were stranded at the ports of Matnog, Sorsogon, 200 passengers and 30 units of cargo were stuck at the Batangas port, and 500 passengers could not leave a port in Cebu due to Ompong.

Raffy Tima reported similarly strong waves in the islands of Batanes though residents were thankful that it they were not as strong as PAGASA initially reported them to be.

But because of the waves and gale-force winds, visibility on the island remains low.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) reported low damages to the six municipalities of the province.

Athena Imperial noted waves of strong rainfall in San Mateo, Rizal and Marikina that gave cause to authorities to keep a close eye on rivers in case they reach a level that will require forced evacuations.

Rescuers in a report by Saleema Refran focused on removing fallen trees from major roads around Zambales as rainfall equivalent to a red rainfall warning met residents round the clock.

One of the trees that fell on the Olongapo-Bugallon Road, a shortcut to the town of Masinloc, was centuries old and had to be cut manually.

The tree also fell on the house of a resident, who luckily survived with their grandchild.

PAGASA said in its 2 p.m. weather bulletin that Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No.3 is up over Cagayan including Babuyan Group of Islands, Batanes, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union Mountain Province, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Apayao, and Abra.

TCWS No. 2, meanwhile, has been raised over Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Zambales, Quirino, Pampanga, and Bulacan.

TCWS No. 1, on the other hand, has been hoisted over Bataan, Rizal, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Lubang Island, and Northern Quezon including Polillo Island. —Rie Takumi/KG, GMA News