Damage to farm, infrastructure and private property rose to P188 million on Sunday from P22.3 million last Friday, according to a report released by the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) at 5:00 a.m. Sunday.

Benito T. Ramos, chief of the Office of Civil Defense and executive director of the NDCC said rescuers, including volunteers and troops, continued to scour coastal areas in the country’s southeastern seaboard on Sunday, where the majority of the 84 still missing from a sunken fishing vessel were reported.

However, he said fresh rains brought on by a new weather disturbance east of the main island of Luzon were hampering search and rescue operations. State weather forecasters however said it was unlikely to develop into a full-blown storm.

Basyang slammed into the country on Tuesday, directly hitting the capital Manila as it cut westward into the South China Sea with a ferocity that caught weather forecasters by surprise. (PIA-Bohol)

President Aquino told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo that he wants more “precision” in the way the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) predicts weather movements.

The PAGASA weather bulletin on Tuesday said Basyang would batter Northern and Central Luzon areas, and listed Metro Manila among the areas that would be under Storm Signal No. 1, with 30 to 60 kilometers-per-hour winds. However, the storm hit the metropolis before dawn Wednesday, cutting off power supply in most areas.

“Changes should be known to the public at the earliest possible time,” said Aquino, adding that delays in weather forecast advisories slow down government response.

Aquino said there should also be improvements in the dissemination of information, such as finding ways to inform small-time fishermen who cannot afford radio equipment if there have been changes in the weather so they can immediately go back to shore.

Aquino earlier reprimanded PAGASA for failing to announce that the typhoon would hit hard Metro Manila. (PIA-Bohol)

The weather forecasters’ last weather bulletin on Basyang (international name Conson) reported that the typhoon was 400 kilometers west-northwest of Dagupan City as of 5:00 a.m. Thursday.

PAGASA says, “”Tropical Storm Conson has left the Philippine area of responsibility and threatens Hainan Island in China.”

Before leaving the country, Basyang was moving at a speed of 19 kilometers per hour, packing maximum winds of 85 kph and gustiness of up to 100 kph.

The government reported 23 deaths, 59 missing people, and 19 injured individuals.

The typhoon reached Philippine land areas Tuesday night and swept through Metro Manila and central Luzon, affecting almost 13,000 families.

A large part of Luzon suffered total power failure around dawn on Wednesday as Basyang damaged electric power transmission lines. (PIA-Bohol)

The Office of Civil Defense said 19 fishermen from the eastern island of Catanduanes had failed to return home and were missing at sea after the typhoon hit the area late Tuesday.

There were no immediate reports of fatalities but communication systems were down amid the chaos of the typhoon’s aftermath, and disaster relief officials were still trying to determine the extent of the damage.

Electricity was knocked out throughout the main island of Luzon, including the country’s capital where fallen tree branches and other debris littered the streets.

Manila’s overhead railway system was also shut down due to the power outage. Knee-high floods and fallen trees were still blocking some roads in and around the capital, obstructing traffic.

The government called off classes at grade and high school levels in Manila.

Several flights in and out of Manila were cancelled as the typhoon was passing but airport officials said their operations had returned to normal after the storm passed.

Basyang, packing maximum gusts of 120 kilometers (74 miles) an hour, hit the eastern side of Luzon late Tuesday and crossed the island before exiting before dawn Wednesday, heading west into the South China Sea at 22 kilometers an hour. (PIA-Bohol)

“The development of a series of low pressure systems, also known as heat lows, in the southern part of mainland Asia that linked with the low pressure area near Northern Luzon has generated and sustained the southwesterly winds in the country which brought rains for several days especially in the western section of the country,” PAGASA said in a statement posted on its website.

This development signals the onset of the rainy season on the first week of June in areas under Type 1 climate, which covers the western parts of Luzon and Visayas.

The rainy season, which is associated with the southwest monsoon, is expected to last until end of September.

However, PAGASA said monsoon breaks or periods of no rain for a few weeks are expected during the season.

Residents in low-lying areas are advised to watch out for above-normal rainfall due to the La Niña phenomenon in the third quarter. (PIA-Bohol)

According to the forecasters at the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) hot, sticky weather means humidity is high and that the atmosphere is already moisture-laden so the rainy season is near.

The news is now a welcome respite especially in Bohol where consumers who have seen frequent power outages fear that the drought may have already affected the country’s power generation.

The farmers in Bohol, especially those served by the huge irrigation systems in north eastern Bohol have also been praying for rain in as much as irrigation services have been rationed due to near critical levels of the dams, sources from the irrigation administration bared.

This week, people are also awaiting rains as an inter-tropical convergent zone is spotted near Mindanao and forecasters have predicted rains to affect Mindanao and the Visayas areas. (PIA-Bohol)

According to reports quoting Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) senior weather forecaster Robert Sawi, the weather bureau has spotted a frontal system that is expected to dump rains over the western section of Northern Luzon on Wednesday or Thursday, while an inter-tropical convergence will bring rains over Mindanao.

But Pagasa administrator Prisco Nilo also said no extreme weather disturbance is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility this week.

Warm weather will also prevail until the end of the month or until a tropical cyclone signals the start of the rainy season next month.

Nilo earlier said chances that a La Niña phenomenon may occur this year rose 35 percent.

La Niña is a weather phenomenon that brings excessive rainfall, reports said. (PIA-Bohol)

… THE TSUNAMI WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR RUSSIA / JAPAN …

THE TSUNAMI WARNING IS NOW CANCELLED FOR

CHILE / PERU / ECUADOR / COLOMBIA / ANTARCTICA / PANAMA /
COSTA RICA / NICARAGUA / PITCAIRN / HONDURAS / EL SALVADOR /
GUATEMALA / FR. POLYNESIA / MEXICO / COOK ISLANDS / KIRIBATI /
KERMADEC IS / NIUE / NEW ZEALAND / TONGA / AMERICAN SAMOA /
SAMOA / JARVIS IS. / WALLIS-FUTUNA / TOKELAU / FIJI /
AUSTRALIA / HAWAII / PALMYRA IS. / JOHNSTON IS. / MARSHALL IS. /
MIDWAY IS. / WAKE IS. / TUVALU / VANUATU / HOWLAND-BAKER /
NEW CALEDONIA / SOLOMON IS. / NAURU / KOSRAE / PAPUA NEW
GUINEA / POHNPEI / CHUUK / MARCUS IS. / INDONESIA /
N. MARIANAS / GUAM / YAP / BELAU / PHILIPPINES / CHINESE
TAIPEI

A TSUNAMI WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR

RUSSIA / JAPAN

THIS BULLETIN IS ISSUED AS ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. ONLY
NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE
DECISIONS REGARDING THE OFFICIAL STATE OF ALERT IN THEIR AREA AND
ANY ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN IN RESPONSE.

AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS

ORIGIN TIME – 0634Z 27 FEB 2010
COORDINATES – 36.1 SOUTH 72.6 WEST
DEPTH – 55 KM
LOCATION – NEAR COAST OF CENTRAL CHILE
MAGNITUDE – 8.8

MEASUREMENTS OR REPORTS OF TSUNAMI WAVE ACTIVITY

GAUGE LOCATION LAT LON TIME AMPL PER
——————- —– —— —– ————— —–
CRESCENT CITY CA 41.7N 124.2W 2213Z 0.37M / 1.2FT 50MIN
SANTA BARBARA CA 34.4N 119.7W 2150Z 0.53M / 1.7FT 20MIN
PAGO PAGO AS 14.3S 170.7W 2027Z 0.70M / 2.3FT 12MIN
JOHNSTON US 16.7N 169.5W 2248Z 0.22M / 0.7FT 64MIN
VANUATU 17.8S 168.3E 2246Z 0.15M / 0.5FT 22MIN
BARBERS PT HI 21.3N 158.1W 2157Z 0.12M / 0.4FT 54MIN
NUKUALOFA TO 21.1S 175.2W 2024Z 0.10M / 0.3FT 62MIN
KAWAIHAE HAWAII 20.0N 155.8W 2211Z 0.52M / 1.7FT 24MIN
KAUMALAPAU HAWAII 20.8N 156.9W 2136Z 0.18M / 0.6FT 56MIN
KAHULUI MAUI 20.9N 156.5W 2147Z 0.98M / 3.2FT 22MIN
NAWILIWILI KAUAI 22.0N 159.4W 2151Z 0.28M / 0.9FT 44MIN
MONTEREY HARBOR CA 36.6N 121.9W 2031Z 0.32M / 1.1FT 56MIN
SANTA MONICA CA 34.0N 118.5W 2035Z 0.41M / 1.4FT 32MIN
SAN DIEGO CA 32.7N 117.2W 2036Z 0.13M / 0.4FT 20MIN
APIA UPOLU WS 13.8S 171.8W 2018Z 0.16M / 0.5FT 16MIN
RAROTONGA CK 21.2S 159.8W 1907Z 0.15M / 0.5FT 24MIN
ACAPULCO MX 16.8N 99.9W 1931Z 0.62M / 2.0FT 26MIN
DART SAN DIEGO 4641 32.2N 120.7W 1931Z 0.06M / 0.2FT 24MIN
LOTTIN PT NZ 37.6S 178.2E 1934Z 0.15M / 0.5FT 10MIN
RAROTONGA CK 21.2S 159.8W 1918Z 0.32M / 1.0FT 06MIN
CABO SAN LUCAS MX 22.9N 109.9W 1833Z 0.36M / 1.2FT 12MIN
DART TONGA 51426 23.0S 168.1W 1844Z 0.04M / 0.1FT 30MIN
HIVA OA MARQUESAS 9.8S 139.0W 1741Z 1.79M / 5.9FT 12MIN
PAPEETE TAHITI 17.5S 149.6W 1810Z 0.16M / 0.5FT 10MIN
NUKU HIVA MARQUESAS 8.9S 140.1W 1745Z 0.95M / 3.1FT 04MIN
MANZANILLO MX 19.1N 104.3W 1705Z 0.32M / 1.0FT 24MIN
DART MANZANILLO 434 16.0N 107.0W 1611Z 0.07M / 0.2FT 24MIN
RIKITEA PF 23.1S 134.9W 1559Z 0.15M / 0.5FT 22MIN
DART MARQUESAS 5140 8.5S 125.0W 1531Z 0.18M / 0.6FT 18MIN
QUEPOS CR 0.0N 9.4E 1416Z 0.24M / 0.8FT 52MIN
BALTRA GALAPAGS EC 0.4S 90.3W 1452Z 0.35M / 1.2FT 14MIN
EASTER CL 27.2S 109.5W 1205Z 0.35M / 1.1FT 52MIN
ANCUD CL 41.9S 73.8W 0838Z 0.62M / 2.0FT 84MIN
CALLAO LA-PUNTA PE 12.1S 77.2W 1029Z 0.36M / 1.2FT 30MIN
ARICA CL 18.5S 70.3W 1008Z 0.94M / 3.1FT 42MIN
IQUIQUE CL 20.2S 70.1W 0907Z 0.28M / 0.9FT 68MIN
ANTOFAGASTA CL 23.2S 70.4W 0941Z 0.49M / 1.6FT 52MIN
DART LIMA 32412 18.0S 86.4W 0941Z 0.24M / 0.8FT 36MIN
CALDERA CL 27.1S 70.8W 0843Z 0.45M / 1.5FT 20MIN
TALCAHUANO CL 36.7S 73.4W 0653Z 2.34M / 7.7FT 88MIN
COQUIMBO CL 30.0S 71.3W 0852Z 1.32M / 4.3FT 30MIN
CORRAL CL 39.9S 73.4W 0739Z 0.90M / 2.9FT 16MIN
SAN FELIX CL 26.3S 80.1W 0815Z 0.53M / 1.7FT 08MIN
VALPARAISO CL 33.0S 71.6W 0708Z 1.29M / 4.2FT 20MIN

LAT – LATITUDE (N-NORTH, S-SOUTH)
LON – LONGITUDE (E-EAST, W-WEST)
TIME – TIME OF THE MEASUREMENT (Z IS UTC IS GREENWICH TIME)
AMPL – TSUNAMI AMPLITUDE MEASURED RELATIVE TO NORMAL SEA LEVEL.
IT IS …NOT… CREST-TO-TROUGH WAVE HEIGHT.
VALUES ARE GIVEN IN BOTH METERS(M) AND FEET(FT).
PER – PERIOD OF TIME IN MINUTES(MIN) FROM ONE WAVE TO THE NEXT.

EVALUATION

SEA LEVEL READINGS CONFIRM THAT A TSUNAMI HAS BEEN GENERATED
WHICH COULD CAUSE DAMAGE FAR FROM ITS SOURCE. AUTHORITIES SHOULD
TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THIS THREAT. THIS CENTER
WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR SEA LEVEL DATA TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT
AND SEVERITY OF THE THREAT.

A TSUNAMI IS A SERIES OF WAVES AND THE FIRST WAVE MAY NOT BE THE
LARGEST. TSUNAMI WAVE HEIGHTS CANNOT BE PREDICTED AND CAN VARY
SIGNIFICANTLY ALONG A COAST DUE TO LOCAL EFFECTS. THE TIME FROM
ONE TSUNAMI WAVE TO THE NEXT CAN BE FIVE MINUTES TO AN HOUR, AND
THE THREAT CAN CONTINUE FOR MANY HOURS AS MULTIPLE WAVES ARRIVE.

FOR ALL AREAS – WHEN NO MAJOR WAVES ARE OBSERVED FOR TWO HOURS
AFTER THE ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL OR DAMAGING WAVES HAVE NOT
OCCURRED FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS THEN LOCAL AUTHORITIES CAN ASSUME
THE THREAT IS PASSED. DANGER TO BOATS AND COASTAL STRUCTURES CAN
CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS DUE TO RAPID CURRENTS. AS LOCAL
CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE A WIDE VARIATION IN TSUNAMI WAVE ACTION THE
ALL CLEAR DETERMINATION MUST BE MADE BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

ESTIMATED INITIAL TSUNAMI WAVE ARRIVAL TIMES AT FORECAST POINTS
WITHIN THE WARNING AND WATCH AREAS ARE GIVEN BELOW. ACTUAL
ARRIVAL TIMES MAY DIFFER AND THE INITIAL WAVE MAY NOT BE THE
LARGEST. A TSUNAMI IS A SERIES OF WAVES AND THE TIME BETWEEN
SUCCESSIVE WAVES CAN BE FIVE MINUTES TO ONE HOUR.

LOCATION FORECAST POINT COORDINATES ARRIVAL TIME
——————————– ———— ————
RUSSIA MEDNNY IS 54.7N 167.4E 0236Z 28 FEB
UST KAMCHATSK 56.1N 162.6E 0302Z 28 FEB
PETROPAVLOVSK K 53.2N 159.6E 0333Z 28 FEB
URUP IS 46.1N 150.5E 0354Z 28 FEB
SEVERO KURILSK 50.8N 156.1E 0410Z 28 FEB
JAPAN KUSHIRO 42.9N 144.3E 0435Z 28 FEB
KATSUURA 35.1N 140.3E 0453Z 28 FEB
HACHINOHE 40.5N 141.5E 0509Z 28 FEB
SHIMIZU 32.8N 133.0E 0557Z 28 FEB
OKINAWA 26.2N 127.8E 0610Z 28 FEB

BULLETINS WILL BE ISSUED HOURLY OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.
THE TSUNAMI WARNING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

THE WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER WILL ISSUE PRODUCTS
FOR ALASKA…BRITISH COLUMBIA…WASHINGTON…OREGON…CALIFORNIA.
…SP…

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