One dead in Leyte as “Ursula” makes 7th landfall

December 25, 2019

One person was confirmed dead in the province of Leyte as Typhoon "Ursula" made its seventh landfall in Oriental Mindoro on Wednesday.

In a radio interview, Leyte Governor Leopoldo Petilla said the first recorded fatality was in the town of Abuyog after the victim allegedly got electrocuted.

“We have one casualty, fatality, in Abuyog, Leyte, (who got) electrocuted… I still don’t have enough details right now, it was just reported to me that there is one dead,” Petilla said.

The governor said they have yet to confirm the other reported casualty in the town of Kananga.

Meanwhile, the provincial government of Iloilo and Capiz were still verifying reports of casualty in their area of responsibility.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the eyewall of Ursula was bringing very destructive winds and intense rainfall over southern portion of Mindoro provinces after making its seventh landfall over the southern tip of Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro around 3pm Wednesday.

“The Calamian Islands will be affected by the eyewall in the coming hours. In case of the passage of the eye in some of the aforementioned areas, calm conditions will be experienced. However, as soon as the eye moves out of the area, violent conditions associated with the eyewall will resume,” the weather bureau said.

“Until tonight, occasional to frequent heavy with intermittent intense rains over Calamian Islands, Cuyo Islands, and Mindoro Provinces. Light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains over Romblon, Aklan, Capiz, CALABARZON, Marinduque, Aurora, and northern portion of mainland Palawan,” it said.

Ursula was located at 15 km south southwest of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro with maximum sustained winds of up to 140 km/h near the center and gusts of up to 195 km/h.

It is moving west northwest at 20 km/h.

Ursula already made landfalls at Salcedo, Eastern Samar around 4:45 pm Tuesday; Tacloban City, Leyte around 7:30 pm; Cabucgayan, Biliran around 9:15 pm; Gigantes Islands, Carles, Iloilo around 2:30 am Wednesday; Ibajay, Aklan around 8:40 am; and at Semirara Island, Caluya, Antique around 1pm.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals (TCWS) are now lifted over Metro Manila, Rizal, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Cagayancillo Island, northern Negros Occidental, Iloilo, and Guimaras.

Meanwhile, TCWS number 3 were hoisted at Southern Oriental Mindoro (Roxas, Mansalay, Bulalacao, Bongabong, Bansud, Pola, Socorro, Pinamalayan, Gloria), southern Occidental Mindoro (Calintaan, Rizal, San Jose, Magsaysay, southern portion of Sablayan), Calamian Islands (Busuanga, Coron, Culion), Caluya.

TCWS number 2 at Romblon, Batangas, Marinduque, the rest of Oriental Mindoro, the rest of Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island, Cuyo Islands, extreme northern portion of mainland Palawan (Linapacan, El Nido, Taytay, Araceli), Northern Antique (Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, Culasi), and northwestern Aklan (Malay, Nabas, Buruanga, Ibajay, Tangalan, Makato, Numancia, Lazo, Kalibo, Banga, Malinao, Madalag)

Also, TCWS number 1 at Bataan, Cavite, Laguna, the rest northern mainland Palawan (Dumaran, San Vicente, Roxas), southern portion of Quezon (Mauban, Sampaloc, Lucban, Tayabas, Lucena, Dolores, Candelaria, Sariaya, Tiaong, San Antonio, Pagbilao, Atimonan, Padre Burgos, Plaridel, Agdangan, Unisan, Gumaca, Pitogo, Macalelon, General Luna, Catanauan, Mulanay, San Francisco, San Andres, San Narciso, Buenavista, Lopez, Guinayangan, Calauag, Alabat, Perez, Quezon), Capiz, the rest of Antique, and the rest of Aklan

Pagasa said it is forecast to be located at 300 km west northwest of Coron, Palawan by Thursday afternoon until it leaves the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Saturday afternoon. Ella Dionisio/DMS