Four dead in landslides as Maymay drenches Luzon
MANILA, Philippines — Landslides in the Philippines killed four people, authorities said Thursday, as heavy rains driven by Tropical Depression Maymay raked parts of Luzon and forced school closures.
The archipelago's main island has been battered by heavy rain over the past four days.
Government offices and schools were ordered closed in the capital and across a swathe of northern provinces because of the rain.
In Benguet province, a six-hour drive north of Manila, a hillside gave way and collapsed on a small restaurant Thursday, burying three employees who had been in the kitchen.
"One is alive. Two were dead on the spot," Col. Dionisio Bonoy of the Benguet provincial police told reporters.
"At 10:00 a.m. (0200 GMT), the survivor was retrieved. That was our priority earlier. With the help of God, we hope he survives."
The country's national disaster agency separately confirmed two others had been killed in a landslide in neighboring Rizal province the day before.
Rainfall warning. On Thursday afternoon, Benguet and La Union have been placed under an orange rainfall warning, advising residents to prepare for continued rain, flooding and landslides.
'Maymay' weakens but risks continue
Maymay further weakened while moving across the Cordilleras, with its center located near Gamu, Isabela, at 1 p.m., PAGASA said.
The tropical depression was packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 75 kph while moving east-southeastward at 20 kph. Strong winds extended up to 180 kilometers from its center.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 remained over several areas in Northern Luzon, including Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Abra, Benguet, Isabela and nearby provinces.
Maymay was forecast to cross the mountainous terrain of Northern Luzon and emerge over the waters east of Isabela within 12 hours.
It may weaken into a remnant low Thursday afternoon or evening before merging with the larger circulation of Tropical Cyclone Dolphin.
Earlier Thursday, government meteorologist John Manalo said Maymay's sustained winds were at about 55 kph as it moved toward the Philippine Sea.
"Severe winds can still affect most parts of the country," he warned.
"Since our land is already saturated and soaked, the potential for flooding and landslides will be higher."
PAGASA said Maymay and the southwest monsoon could still bring strong to gale-force gusts over most of the country through Saturday, particularly in exposed coastal and upland areas.
A gale warning remained in effect over the western seaboard of Northern Luzon, with waves reaching up to 4.5 meters off Batanes and 4 meters along several other northern and western coastal areas.
The Philippines is the first major landmass facing the Pacific cyclone belt, and the archipelago is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year, putting millions of people in disaster-prone areas in a state of constant poverty.
Scientists say human-driven climate change is making extreme weather more frequent, prolonged and intense. — reports from Agence France Presse
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