‘Milenyo’ shuts down Metro

Publication Date: [Friday, September 29, 2006]

http://www.philstar.com/philstar/show_content.asp?article=277462

Typhoon "Milenyo" — the strongest to hit Metro Manila in 11 years — slammed into the metropolis and parts of Luzon and the Visayas yesterday, killing at least 15 people and leaving behind widespread destruction.

More than 40 million people were without electricity after the typhoon, packing winds of 130 kilometers per hour, destroyed power lines in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon.

The storm toppled trees and triggered landslides, blocking some provincial roads. School authorities suspended classes, flights were canceled, ferry boats were grounded, the country’s financial markets were halted, and officials were forced to suspend the operation of two commuter trains in Metro Manila as the typhoon wiped out all normal activity.

Classes at all levels in Metro Manila remain suspended today. Work in government offices, except those engaged in health, security and disaster relief and response, also remain suspended. Work in private companies is up to the discretion of employers, Malacañang said.

Milenyo was the strongest typhoon to directly hit Metro Manila in 11 years, after super typhoon Rosing, packing 260 kph, battered the metropolis and nearby provinces in November 1995, leaving 936 people dead.

President Arroyo ordered yesterday the release of P240 million from the calamity fund to be made available to local government units battered by Milenyo.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said that during a teleconference with Cabinet and disaster management officials, Mrs. Arroyo directed the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Metro Manila Development Authority to speed up the cleanup of debris, fallen trees and billboards on roads.

She also ordered Trade Secretary Peter Favila to deploy price monitoring teams in markets and stores to prevent undue increases.

Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. assured local officials in typhoon-ravaged areas of the immediate release of aid to repair damaged infrastructure.

Mrs. Arroyo also ordered Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral to provide quick relief operations in affected communities.

Favila told a press briefing at the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) at Camp Aguinaldo that the power outage was reported by the National Transmission Corp. at around 12:58 p.m. He said Transco is still determining the cause of the collapse of the entire Luzon grid.

The President was trapped by the typhoon at the Clark Special Economic Zone where she attended several engagements. She was able to return to Manila at around 4 p.m. and immediately inspected the damages and debris near Malacañang, including a giant acacia tree that was uprooted from the courtyard of the nearby St. Jude Church that blocked the entire J. P. Laurel street.

Ros Manlangit, spokesman for the Department of National Defense, said Cyril del Callar, president of the National Power Corp. (Napocor), had reported that the power plants were shut down following reports that transmission lines and electric posts were damaged in various areas.

Defense Undersecretary Ernesto Carolina said that the disaster response teams of the Armed Forces have been deployed to assist in the affected areas.

Debris and tree branches littered the streets around Metro Manila while trees and electric posts were uprooted in many areas in Bicol and most parts of Luzon where the typhoon passed.

Airport authorities in Manila suspended all flights around noon because of the power failure. Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) announced that normal operations will resume today.

All domestic and international flights will be operated according to published schedules, including three regional flights from Manila to Nagoya, Kansai and Narita, PAL said. The three flights were originally scheduled to leave yesterday but were reset for today due to the storm.

The Philippine Coast Guard reported that over 4,000 ferry passengers were stranded in various ports in the Visayas, Bicol, Central and Southern Luzon.

The much-awaited UAAP basketball championship game between the University of Sto. Tomas and the Ateneo de Manila University was also postponed.

Death everywhere

In Antique, three people were killed — a drunken man who fell into a river, a nine-year-old boy and an electrician — said acting governor Eduardo Fortaleza.

Fortaleza said rescue workers evacuated about 100 residents who were trapped on an islet in the middle of a raging river in Barbaza, Antique early Thursday.

A 16-year-old girl was crushed to death by a fallen tree in Lucena City.

Two other victims were killed in Laguna. They were identified as Jojo Pareyno of Barangay Pagsawitan in Sta. Cruz town; and Juliu Magsino of Barangay Limao in Calauan.

Two people reportedly drowned after they were swept way by floodwaters when the Bao River overflowed in Ormoc City.

The fatalities were identified as Arnold Fajardo, 23, of Barangay Curva; and Maximo Obida, 71, of Barangay San Jose.

In Albay, two persons were killed when a boat capsized off Rapu- Rapu Island and a house was swept by strong waves in Tiwi town.

Cedric Daep, chief of the Albay provincial disaster management office, said over 700 houses were destroyed while 844 others were damaged in Sto. Domingo town.

Philippine Ports Authority manager Rene Agaao said the ground floor of the port terminal was also damaged by strong waves and dozens of Catanduanes-bound passengers that were stranded at the port were transferred to the second floor of the building.

Arnel Capili, regional director of the Office of Civil Defense, said more than 1,000 residents were evacuated from Catanduanes and Camarines Sur.

A girl and an elderly man were crushed to death when a wall of an adjacent abandoned warehouse collapsed on their houses in Muntinlupa City.

In Makati City, a driver was killed and several others were injured when a billboard collapsed along EDSA near corner Estrella street, hitting several vehicles including a passenger bus. The fatality was identified as Felipe Gumapon.

An hour later, another billboard collapsed also along EDSA near the Magallanes interchange hitting another passenger bus.

In Quezon City, a woman died after she was electrocuted while she was fixing the roof of her house at Barangay Sto. Domingo.

Nilda Epedo was repairing the roof of her house on Don Pedro St. when she touched a live wire.

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. had earlier directed the city disaster coordinating council to implement contingency plans as Milenyo approached the metropolis.

Manuel Sabalza, chief of the city’s Department of Public Safety and Order, deployed quick response teams to assist in emergency situations.

Security guard Rufino Caigingan, 38, died after he was hit by a flying galvanized iron sheet near the Manila City Hall.

The Manila Police District Tactical Operations Center reported that more than 100 families were evacuated from their houses that were damaged by strong winds at Delpan, Tondo.

Police said many houses were damaged, most of them rendered roofless by strong winds along Pablo Ocampo, Bambang, V. Mapa, Road 10, Baseco, Benitez, Plaza Morga and Quirino streets.

Strong winds toppled a row of trees on Manila’s famous Baywalk beside Manila Bay and knocked down billboards near the US and Japanese Embassies along Roxas Blvd. where traffic was stalled for several hours.

Workers used chain saws to clear the roads amid howling winds and blinding rain.

Some residents in flooded areas used makeshift rafts and ferried people across streets through knee-deep water.

Manila Mayor Lito Atienza urged the city council to declare a state of calamity to pave way for the release of calamity funds.

Atienza inspected the city’s six districts and declared the capital in a state of devastation.

This is a devastation of the city, the trees were uprooted even the Meralco and PLDT posts were damaged," Atienza said.

In a statement, Napocor said the power outage in some areas of Luzon was caused by the tripping of transmission lines that were affected by strong the howling winds and heavy downpour.

"We have enough power. Power generation facilities are not as affected as transmission and distribution facilities. Power lines are exposed, making them more vulnerable to the elements,"

Napocor said. Napocor said the Department of Energy had placed on full typhoon alert, all agencies involved in providing power service.

"Transco, as well as the distribution utilities and electric cooperatives have been working round the clock since this morning to repair lines that have been affected by the typhoon. But this is an exceptionally strong typhoon, and it may take the necessary precautionary measures for their safety," Napocor said.

Transco vice president for systems operation Jescette Sulit said repair crews in Bicol and Southern Tagalog have been deployed to patrol and repair its high voltage facilities, which have been damaged.

"We are now conducting power assessment and restoration activities," said Sulit, but the firm cannot say how long it will take to restore power in affected areas.

Sulit said the entire Bicol region was isolated from the Luzon grid at around 3:51 a.m. when Milenyo made landfall in Central Bicol and knocked down electricity in five provinces.

Transco said the restoration of the North Luzon power will use Magat and Binga dams, both with hydroelectric power plants, while restoration of power in Central Luzon is ongoing, tapping Pantabangan Dam, another hydroelectric power facility.

– James Mananghaya, Donnabelle Gatdula, Michael Punongbayan, Sheila Crisostomo, Aurea Calica, Rainier Allan Ronda, Edu Punay, Non Alquitran, Nestro Etolle, Perseus Echeminada, Pete Laude, Cel Dematera, Evelyn Macairan, Miriam Desacada, Celso Amo, Ronilo Pamonag, AP,AFP