Ports in Mindoro, Samar suspend operations as Quinta crosses Palawan

Quinta slowed down as it approached Coron early Thursday, state weather forecasters said. As of 10:00 a.m., Quinta had already crossed Palawan and was already 220 km west of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, at that time. Quinta has also weakened into a low-pressure area, and may dissipate even before it has a chance to leave the western border of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). Suspended port operations As of Thursday morning, operations remained suspended at ports in Mindoro, Marinduque, Samar, Romblon and Puerto Princesa. At the Calapan Port in Oriental Mindoro, 692 passengers and 17 rolling cargoes bound for Batangas Port were stranded due to suspended operations. This included:

 

Landslides The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Quinta caused a minor landslide in Barangay Kahupain, Sogod, Southern Leyte, at 4:00 a.m., December 26. The landslide rendered the Kahupian-Sogod Road impassable, though the Department of Public Works and Highways Southern Leyte Engineering District rushed to the area to clear the road. Sogod's local police force also responded to the incident. Another landslide occurred in the evening of December 26, the NDRRMC later reported. The minor landslide was at Brgy. 1 and 3 of Sogod, and clearing operations were undertaken as of 7 p.m. of December 26. Both landslides were along the Mahaplag-Sogod portion of the Maharlika Highway, Department of Public Works and Highways in Eastern Visayas Director Rolando Asis said in a report on the Philippine Information Agency website. While Mahaplag-Sogod Road is impassable, DPWH - Region 8 engineer Aurora Lago advised commuters to use the Baybay-Maasin Road, the report said. Rains due to Quinta and monsoon

 

Earlier, PAGASA forecaster Manny Mendoza said the rain that fell over parts of Metro Manila is due to the combined effect of Quinta and the northeast monsoon.

 

"Ito'y bumagal habang papalapit sa Coron... Ang Metro Manila umaambon, may kaunting epekto ang bagyo dahil kaulapan ni Quinta at northeast monsoon may combined effect sa Metro Manila," Mendoza said in an interview on dzBB radio.

 

PAGASA's 5 a.m. advisory said Quinta was estimated at 60 km southwest of Coron, Palawan as of 4 a.m.

 

 

^{Quinta's expected trajectory as of 7 a.m., Dec. 27}

Storm signals

 

Areas under Storm Signal No. 1 include:

 

 

PAGASA said Quinta may bring rainfall of 5 to 15 mm per hour (moderate to heavy) within its 350-km diameter.

 

In Eastern Visayas, three were killed when a tree fell on the house of a family in Eastern Samar, radio dzBB reported early Thursday.

 

The report cited initial information reaching the Office of Civil Defense Eastern Visayas as indicating the three fatalities were surnamed Bosa.

 

A fourth fatality was killed in a landslide in Lambunao in Iloilo, the report added.

 

In Aklan, meanwhile, Kalibo civil defense officer Terence Toriano said a flash flood hit Kalibo town Wednesday night.

 

Toriano said that while they conducted a preemptive evacuation of flood-prone areas, many were "hesitant" to go.

 

"Ang flash flood lampas tao [mga] 9 to 10 p.m. kagabi," he said in an interview on dzBB radio.

 

He said his staff went house to house in asking people to evacuate but many declined to go, saying they had "been through this before," referring to Typhoon Frank in 2008.

 

Stranded  

The NDRRMC said at least 14,102 people were stranded as of 6 p.m. Wednesday.

 

It said 785 rolling cargoes and 144 vehicles were also stranded.