- Title: PHILIPPINES: Tropical storm hits north
- Date: 15th August 2012
- Summary: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (AUGUST 14, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TREES SWAYING IN RAIN WEATHER FORECASTERS MONITORING SCREENS INSIDE WEATHER BUREAU HEADQUARTERS
- Embargoed: 30th August 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Philippines
- City:
- Country: Philippines
- Topics: Disasters,Weather
- Reuters ID: LVAC86LC5PNH7UA0DGNZ524HM4F1
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: Tropical storm Kai-Tak hit northern Philippines on Tuesday (August 14), drowning two people and prompting more than a dozen provinces to warn its residents of possible flash floods and landslides.
Kai-Tak made landfall in rice-growing Isabela province past midnight on Tuesday, slowing down as it hit a mountain range, and is expected to move across the northern Luzon region, the weather bureau Pagasa said.
Torrential rains due to the storm are expected to hit the capital, Manila, and surrounding provinces that are still recovering from last week's severe floods.
The floods killed 95 people, displaced hundreds of thousands more, and destroyed 53.7 million U.S. dollars' worth of infrastructure and agricultural lands.
Floods have not subsided in provinces like Bulacan, north of Manila, where waters in the swampy town of Calumpit still reached more than three metres (10 feet), draining slowly due to continuous flows from a nearby dam.
Kai-Tak was moving at a speed of 17 kph (10.5mph), packing winds of up to 85 kph (52.8 mph) and dumping 35 millimetres of rain (1.3 inches) an hour.
Fishing boats were advised not to venture out to sea in northern provinces.
Authorities in the Luzon region, where heavy rains are expected, are watching a possible overflow of the Cagayan River, the longest in the country.
"These provinces will continue to experience severe weather conditions, and the seas will be rough or very rough," forecaster Christopher Perez said.
Disaster officials advised local governments to evacuate residents living in low-lying areas vulnerable to storm surges. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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