Weather: 'Kabayan' out of PHL, leaves 8 dead

After causing at least eight deaths, Typhoon Kabayan (Muifa) left Philippine territory before dawn Friday, even as state weather forecasters said they expect a break of sorts from cyclones for the next few days. Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration forecaster Nelson Dianela said an approaching low-pressure area may dissipate before reaching Philippine territory. "Nakalabas na (si 'Kabayan' at ang LPA malamang) mawawala siya ... Paglapit sa atin mawawala, matutunaw bago makarating sa atin ('Kabayan' has left Philippine territory and our models show the approaching LPA is likely to dissipate before entering Philippine territory)," Dianela said in an interview on dzBB radio. But PAGASA said Kabayan will still enhance the southwest monsoon, which will bring rains to parts of the country. PAGASA also warned of possible flash floods and landslides over Mindoro in Southern Luzon and Panay in Western Visayas. "Ilang araw wala tayong inaasahang bagyo (We can expect to be free from cyclones for the next few days)," he added. PAGASA's 5 a.m. bulletin indicated has moved out of the Philippine area of responsibility, and was estimated at 710 km northeast of Basco, Batanes as of 4 a.m., packing maximum sustained winds of 160 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 195 kph, and was moving west northwest at 9 kph. By Saturday morning, it is expected to be 185 km southwest of Okinawa, Japan. Death toll Meanwhile, the death toll from Kabayan went up to eight Thursday night as authorities recovered the bodies of three more victims, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. In its 7 p.m. Thursday update, the NDRRMC said two of the latest fatalities were from Ilocos while the third was from Pampanga. Recovered in La Union was the body of Julient Estellore, 30, of Pudoc village in Bauang, La Union. His body was found floating at the shoreline of Sitio Puraw. In Pangasinan, the body of Samuel Estabillo, 53, was found at Abenoieng River in San Jose village in San Jacinto town. On the other hand, the body of Arnel Salazar Bato, 31, was found at Sta. Rita village in Lubao town in Pampanga. Bato had tried to run to avoid the rain when he slipped and fell into the river and was carried by the current, the NDRRMC said. At least five were injured while three were reported missing. The NDRRMC said Kabayan affected at least 23,531 families or 93,535 people in 77 villages in 18 towns and seven cities in eight provinces. Of these, 548 families or 1,370 people are still in 10 evacuation centers. Some 24 houses were destroyed while eight were damaged. The estimated damage to property remained at P2.5 million. In Pangasinan, the National Highway along Barangay Banaoang is not passable to light vehicles and the Manaoag- Urdaneta National Road is not passable to light vehicles due to the overflowing of Inamotan River. Flash floods, landslides PAGASA said Kabayan will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon which will bring rains over the western sections of southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. It added the southwest monsoon is still affecting the western sections of southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. "The Western sections of Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over Mindoro and Panay islands which may trigger flashfloods and landslides," it said. — RSJ, GMA News