Ondoy's flood worst in history PAGASA

Source: By RIO ROSE RIBAYA
http://www.mb.com.ph

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services, Administration (PAGASA) said Saturday that the unexpected flood in Metro Manila was the worst one ever recorded in history. While Dr. Nathaniel Cruz, PAGASA director, said that yesterday's flood was the worst in history, he added that the amount of rainfall dumped yesterday is expected to surpass the 1967 record and this month's average.

Citing PAGASA records, Cruz said that a total 341.3 mm amount of rainfall had been dumped in Quezon City from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. last Saturday, just six hours following the actual landfall of Tropical Storm "Ondoy" in Central and Southern Luzon provinces. The 24-hour amount of rainfall is expected to overtake the 344 mm level recorded on a 24-hour period on June 7, 1967.


After expecting the tropical cyclone

to bring stormy weather in most parts of Luzon until today, the top PAGASA official said the level of rainfall is also expected to even surpass 391.7 mm average rainfall in Quezon City for the entire month of September.

He also explained that Tropical Storm "Ondoy," which was expected to move towards the South China Sea away from the Philippine area of responsibility early this morning, could double or at least increase the amount of rainfall in the next 12 hours.

Cruz added that "Ondoy," which was last spotted over Pampanga province as of 5 p.m. yesterday, also dumped unusually high amounts of rainfall over Bulacan that prompted PAGASA to release 175 cubic meter of water each second from Angat when it reached its critical level at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

"Ondoy" was last spotted over the vicinity of Pampanga while packing maximum winds of 85 kph near the center and a gustiness of 100 kph that prompted PAGASA to raise storm signals in 20 provinces in the regions of Cagayan, Bicol as well as Central and Southern Luzon.

Public Warning Storm Signal No.
2 was hoisted over Bulacan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Rizal, and Northern Quezon, while the lowest storm signal was declared over La Union, Nueva Viscaya, Benguet, Quirino, Aurora, Bataan, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, the rest of Quezon, including Polilio Island and Metro Manila. PAGASA advised residents living along the coasts of provinces under Public Warning Signal No. 1 and 2 to be on alert against big waves generated by Tropical Storm "Ondoy," which could still trigger more flashfloods and landslides.

Slowing its northwestward movement from 19 kph to 13 kph, the storm was expected to cross Pampanga to Zambales tonight and reach the South China Sea at about 230 kilometers west northwest of Iba, Zambales this morning or at about 190 kilometers northwest of the town by Sunday afternoon.

Cruz clarified that there would only be a gradual improvement of weather today as the storm has been expected to continue enhancing the Southwest monsoon, which will keep bringing rains over Central and Southern Luzon provinces as well as the Visayas region.

In a gale warning posted at 5 p.m. yesterday, PAGASA said that the storm will bring occasional rains with gusty winds of 55 to 75 kph that will make the sea condition the seaboards of Southern Luzon rough to very rough with big waves as high as 3.7 to 6.5 meters. PAGASA added that the seaboard of Mindanao will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms with gusty winds of 55 to 67 kph that will make the sea conditions rough to very with big waves as high as 3.7 to 4.5 meters.