Thousands of residents were evacuated and several power posts were toppled in Northern Luzon as tropical storm Cosme (international codename Halong) battered the country.
Many houses were destroyed by strong winds and Cosme brought a heavy downpour in Lingayen, Pangasinan and nearby towns of Binmaley and Dagupan.
Many infrastructures were damaged and power posts were knocked down, leaving several towns of Pangasinan province without electricity since Saturday night.
Residents from Lingayen, Manaoag and San Carlos City have been evacuated.
Several passengers going to Baguio City and La Union were also stranded in Pangasinan as some national and provincial roads were rendered impassable due to fallen trees.
Kennon Road has been closed to traffic to avoid vehicular accidents due to possible landslides in the area. Authorities advised motorists heading for Baguio to take Naguilian Road or Marcos Highway.
After the clearing operations, officials of the provincial and municipal disaster coordinating council said it will begin rescue and relief operations to affected towns.
The city disaster coordinating council in Dagupan is also set to meet Sunday to evaluate the need to put the city under a state of calamity.
The local government of Dagupan has appealed for assistance, especially medical help.
In Zambales, thousands were also evacuated in Iba town due to a storm surge in coastal areas.
Several areas in Pampanga province, meanwhile, were also flooded due to heavy rains brought about by Cosme.
The Pampanga provincial disaster coordinating council reported that the town of Guagua was badly hit by floods.
Iloilo City, meanwhile, has been declared under a state of calamity due to floods.
In Batangas, the Philippine Coast Guard suspended boat trips to Puero Galera due to choppy waters.
‘Cosme’ continues to weaken
Weather bureau PAGASA said the tropical storm continued to weaken while traversing the mountainous terrain of Northern Luzon.
As of 10 a.m., Cosme was located 30 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, with maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 100 kph. It was moving northeast at 19 kph.
Public storm warning signal no. 2 was raised over Batanes, Cagayan, Babuyan Group of Islands and Isabela.
Signal no. 1 was hoisted over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mountain Province, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Quirino, Benguet, Pangasinan and La Union.
PAGASA said Cosme will continue to cross Northern Luzon. By Monday morning, it is expected to be 370 km East Northeast of Aparri, Cagayan or 330 km East Southeast of Basco, Batanes.
By Tuesday morning, it is expected to be 1,030 km Northeast of Basco, Batanes or at 440 km East Southeast of Okinawa, Japan or outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
PAGASA said Cosme will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring occasional rains over Southern Luzon and Western Visayas.
It advised the residents in low lying areas and near mountain slopes to take all the necessary precautions against possible flashfloods and landslides.
The weather bureau also alerted the residents along the coastal areas of Western Luzon and Western Visayas against big waves.
Other Stories
10th victim in deadly RCBC heist dies
A bank employee who was in critical condition after he was shot in the head during a deadly robbery in Cabuyao, Laguna died in the hospital two days after the bloody incident, the head of the security department of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) confirmed Sunday.abs-cbnNEWS.com