Death toll now at 240; plus new typhoon on the way in few days

Even as the death toll from tropical storm “Ondoy” (international name Ketsana) rose to 240 as of Tuesday morning, the Philippines should brace itself for a new tropical depression heading towards it as early as Tuesday night.

“(It is) expected to enter Philippine area of responsibility either tonight or tomorrow morning,” said Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) head Prisco Nilo during the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) meeting presided by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Tuesday.

AT A GLANCEIn its Tuesday 6 a.m. advisory, the NDCC reported the extent of damages that tropical storm “Ondoy” has so far inflicted on the country.

Reported dead: 240

NCR: 101 CAR: 3 Region III: 37 Region IV-A: 99

Missing: 37

CAR: 1 Region II: 9 Region III: 7 Region IV:-A: 20 Region IX: 1

Affected Filipinos:

319,881 families 1,872,036 persons

Damaged houses: 3,272

Totally damaged: 2,223 Partially damages: 1,049

Cost of damages: P2,339,620,884

Infrastructure: P1,517,096 Agriculture: P882,524,884

- GMANews.TV Nilo said the tropical depression will be named “Pepeng” once it enters Philippine territory.

He said their “worst-case” scenarios show Pepeng making a landfall in Northern or Central Luzon early next week.

“The general direction is toward north Luzon but it will be [heading] toward Taiwan. (It is) possible to make landfall early next week (but there is) also a chance (it will) move (toward) Taiwan,” he said.

The Pagasa chief said they are monitoring a second weather disturbance following the tropical depression. He described it as a “developing” low-pressure area.

Earlier, Pagasa forecaster Elvie Enriquez said at least one of the new weather disturbances approaching the country has winds of 55 kph at the center.

“Ang pasok ay Huwebes pa … Pag patuloy ang west northwest na direction, eastern Luzon (It is expected to enter Philippine territory Thursday [and] it may affect eastern Luzon),” she said.

She said it may affect some areas in eastern Luzon, including Aurora, Quezon, and Isabela provinces. It may affect Metro Manila, as the cyclone may enhance the southwest monsoon and bring more rains, he said.

This early, Defense Secretary and NDCC chairman Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said Tuesday that the government is already preparing for the approaching cyclone. He said the NDCC will meet with regional disaster management units to make the proper preparations.

“Yan ay kailangan pagusapan nang masusi ngayon, lalo sa pulong bayan at lungsod ng hardest hit areas (We will have to discuss it in detail especially with officials of areas hardest hit by ‘Ondoy’),” Teodoro said in an interview on dzBB radio.

On Saturday, Ondoy battered Metro Manila and several provinces in the Central Luzon and Calabarzon regions with its total rainfall accounting for the most in recorded history, surpassing the previous record for the metropolis in 1967. – with Kim Tan, GMANews.TV