Double trouble: 'Inday' and 'Juan' pummel N. Luzon

Northern Luzon on Wednesday morning continued to receive double punishment from tropical storm Inday and typhoon Juan, with Batanes and nearby islands suffering the brunt of the joint assault. The combined strength of Inday and Juan enhanced the southwest monsoon, bringing rains even up to the western sections of Visayas and Mindanao. Storm signal no. 2 was hoisted over Batanes, while the storm signal no. 1 was in effect over the Babuyan group of islands because of Inday's activity. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) warned the two affected areas against possible flashfloods and landslides. The continued downpour had already triggered a landslide in Tabuk town in Kalinga province, claiming the lives of two children and injuring three others Monday night. State weather forecasters said tropical storm Inday slightly picked up speed early Tuesday and was now in the vicinity of Southern Taiwan. Pagasa last spotted Inday 240 km north northwest of Basco, Batanes or 100 km north northeast of Kaoshiung in Taiwan. Typhoon Juan, the stronger of the two weather disturbances, maintained its strength and was moving towards the general direction of Taiwan and Okinawa, Japan. Pagasa on Tuesday night located Juan's center at a more distant 890 km east northeast of Basco. Inday carried maximum sustained winds of 85 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 100 kph. It was moving west southwest at 15 kph. Juan, meanwhile, packed maximum sustained winds of 130 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 160 kph. It was hovering west northwest at a speed of 24 kph. Come Saturday, the two weather disturbances are both expected to be out of the Philippine area of responsibility. Based on Pagasa weather bulletins, Juan will likely take an earlier exit and may shift all of its strength to Taiwan by Friday. Pagasa issued a tropical cyclone warning for shipping, asking all ships veering near Juan's center to send regular updates to authorities in Manila because of expected "rough to phenomenal seas."-GMANews.TV