Deadly Typhoon Cimaron makes landfall in Luzon
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
Typhoon Cimaron, known to those in the Philippines as Typhoon Paeng, made landfall on October 29 in Luzon at around 1:00 UTC. Winds of 160 mph were sustained for one minute, were recorded shortly before landfall. Already, it has killed at least nineteen people, injured 58, and at least fifteen people may still be missing in the Philippines. Damage in the country is estimated to have reached $443 million pesos, or $8.8 million United States dollars (USD).
Impact
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Deaths and other affects on people
[edit]So far, six people have been reported to have been drowned or killed by falling trees in Dinapigue, Isabela province. A further 15 people were injured there.
One of those deaths may have been when waves spawned by Cimaron swept away a 19 year old female student, identified as Clarissa Otrera, while swimming near the shore, drowning her. Her two companions, one 18 years old, the other 20, were also swept away, and are still missing. Another girl, Gretchen Bautista of 15 years of age, was also swept into the open ocean along with Clarissa.
Otera and Bautista were rescued right away and taken to Magsingal District Hospital, where Otera was declared dead.
A search and rescue is under way for the two missing students.
A farmer of 29 years of age drowned when his boat overturned in Isabella, police said.
In addition, a 28 year old woman was killed along with her 6 year old child in Aurora province. Their hut was swept away by the powerful currents.
Three more people drowned in the town of Kasibu, Neuva Vizcaya province.
A four year old girl was killed by a landslide in Bugias, Benguet province, as was a man of 53 years of age in Kalinga province.
In Baguio City, a house with a mother and her two daughters was buried in landslide, injuring all of them, according to fire official Senior Superintendent Carlito Romero.
A woman died in a road accident that also injured seven other people in La Union province.
Another 13-15 people are currently missing, and at least 41 more people not mentioned above were injured to some degree.
In all, Cimaron affected more than 177,000 people.
Damage
[edit]Ninety percent of the houses in Dinapigue, Isabela province, were damaged in the town of 5,000 residents, says Mayor Renato Candido.
Over 1,872 houses were damaged, while at least 72 homes were destroyed, 300 of the houses in Baguio City were damaged by powerful winds.
The power in Aurora province was out since Sunday night, but whether or not the electricity has been restored is unknown.
The country's Department of Agriculture has said that up to 30% of rice and corn harvests may have been ruined.
Original total damage estimates were placed at $400 million pesos, or $8 million United States Dollars, but were revised to $139 million pesos, or $2.79 million USD in total damage. Of that total, $114.39 million pesos, or $2.3 million USD, was from infrastructure and agricultural damage, mostly from the Cagayan Valley. The remaining money was $22.8 million pesos, or $458,600+ USD in damage to roads and bridges and damage to school buildings was worth $2 million pesos, equivalent to $40,230 USD.
Since then, the damage has been reassessed at $443 million pesos, or $8.8 million USD
Other reports of damage include uprooted trees, fallen electrical posts, and numerous blackouts in Luzon.
Aftermath
[edit]In the Philippines, Nueva Vizcaya's provincial board passed a resolution that declared the province under a state of "calamity", allowing the release of $20 million pesos, or $402,290 USD from the province's calamity fund.
Power has been confirme to have been restored in most of Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) stated that the Army, the Coast Guard, and the Navy were told to give assistance to the victims of the typhoon.
The Philippine National Red Cross noted that many of the agency's different branches were assisting the storm victims since Monday morning.
Current storm information
[edit]At 2100 UTC October 31, the Japan Meteorological Association (JMA) reported the center of Typhoon Cimaron to be near 18.7°N 116.4°E. It had maximum 10-minute sustained winds of 80 knots (150 km/h, 90 mph), with a minimum central pressure of 950 hPa, and was moving almost stationary. At 1800 UTC, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) reported the center of Typhoon 22W to be located about 270 nm (500 km, 310 miles) south-southeast of Hong Kong, with maximum 1-minute sustained winds of 100 knots (175 km/h, 110 mph), gusting to 125 knots (230 km/h, 145 mph).
Vietnam is being very careful with this system, andplanned on evacuating 200,000 people from the country, even though it is expected that Cimaron will continue west-northwest and then curve northward. Due to the size of the system, the outer rainband of the cyclone may be felt in Vietnam.
On November 1, the evacuations were put on hold when the Vietnamese realized that Cimaron would have little impact on them.
- See the latest JMA advisory in English on Typhoon Cimaron.
- See the latest JTWC advisory on Typhoon 22W.
Sources
[edit]- "Paeng death toll rises" — Tempo, November 1, 2006
- "Vietnam puts evacuations on hold as Typhoon Cimaron changes course" — The Associated Press, November 1, 2006
- aftababedin. "Typhoon Cimaron kills 16 in Philippines" — Indian Muslims, October 31
- "Typhoon Paeng leaves six dead, 14 injured, 2 missing" — National, October 31
- "Vietnam to evacuate 150,000 ahead of typhoon Cimaron" — German Press Agency, October 31, 2006
- "Super typhoon pummels Philippines" — The Brunai Times, October 31, 2006
- Josephine Roque. "Typhoon Cimaron Hits The Philippines And Kills 15" — All Headline News, October 30, 2006
- Paul Alexander. "Typhoon lashes northern Philippines" — Associated Press, October 30, 2006
- "Paeng leaves one dead, minimal damage" — Provincial, October 30, 2006
- "Coed drowns in Ilocos Sur; 2 other persons missing" — Provincial, October 29, 2006
- "Two dead as typhoon hits Philippines" — The News, October 29, 2006
External links
[edit]
- Joint Typhoon Warning Center Homepage
- Japan Meteorological Association Homepage
- Specifics on six of the 19 deaths from Balita News
- Tracks of the 2006 Pacific typhoon season
