'Enteng’ leaves PAR with 500K people affected, 12 deaths

Severe tropical storm Enteng (Yagi) is now outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), said state weather bureau PAGASA on Wednesday morning.

Based on its report issued at 5:00 AM, its center was estimated at 265 km west of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, moving slowly west northwestward.

It recorded maximum sustained winds of 100 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 125 km/h, and a central pressure of 980 hectoPascals (hPa).

A warning of strong to storm-force winds was raised, which may extend outwards up to 280 km from the center.

No tropical cyclone wind signals are hoisted.

PAGASA, however, noted the possibility of moderate to intense rainfall in other areas of Luzon, especially along the western portions, over the next three days due to the enhanced Southwest Monsoon, or habagat, seen to also bring on Thursday strong to gale-force gusts over Ilocos Region, Isabela, Zambales, Bataan, Aurora, Bulacan, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Negros Island, and Northern Samar.

Outside the PAR, ‘Enteng’ will move generally westward until Thursday, then turn west northwestward for the remainder of the forecast period, said PAGASA.

It is forecast to make another landfall in the vicinity of southern mainland China during the weekend and is forecasted to strengthen throughout the forecast period and may become a typhoon within the next 12 hours.

“The tropical cyclone may also reach its peak intensity by Friday (6 September) prior to making landfall in mainland China,” it added.

500K people affected, 12 reported deaths

A total of 547,029 people were affected by the ‘Enteng’ enhanced habagat, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council's latest report. This population is equivalent to 149,661 affected families, of which 12,742 are temporarily taking shelter in 323 evacuation centers.

Central Luzon has the highest number of affected families, tallied at 86,765, or over 288,000 people.

Meanwhile, reported fatalities rose to 12—of which seven were from CALABARZON, two each from Bicol Region and Central Visayas, and one from Central Visayas—all still pending validation.

Eleven people were reported hurt, and seven were still missing, all noted from the Bicol region.

A total of 39 road sections and 16 bridges are impassable, while 589 houses were damaged, amounting to P100,000. Likewise, three infrastructures were destroyed with an estimated cost of P200,000.

Currently, only Naga City in Bicol is declared under state of calamity.

More than P31 million worth of assistance has been extended to affected families, said the NDRRMC.