by magnolia_eic | May 26, 2011 | Headlines, National News, Weather Coverage
TROPICAL storm Chedeng (international codename Songda) has been upgraded into a typhoon
by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)
on Wednesday morning.
In the bureau’s 11 a.m. press conference, PAGASA said Chedeng has intensified into a typhoon
as it remained almost stationary at 350 kilometers east of Catarman, Northern Samar.
Chedeng has maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour (kph) and moving 9 kph west
northwest.
It had slightly changed its course as it approached Samar and toward Camarines Norte. It may hit
Metro Manila and some of the southern parts of Luzon, weather forecaster Robert Sawi said.
Signal No. 2 is now hoisted over Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines
Norte, and Samar provinces.
Signal No. 1, on the other hand, has been raised over Marinduque, Masbate, Burias and Ticao
Islands, Southern Quezon, Polillo Island, Northern Leyte and Biliran Island. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Jan 27, 2011 | Headlines, Health and Medicine, National News
The Department of Health’s (DOH) National Epidemiology Center is now bracing for the possible outbreak of wet-season diseases during what is supposed to be the country’s summer season.
NEC director Dr. Eric Tayag said dengue fever, diarrhea, leptospirosis, and pulmonary diseases are on their watch list.
Tayag gave general tips on how to avoid wet season diseases like – boiling water before drinking, or using DOH-prescribed disinfectants; to take vitamins C and D; and to make sure there are no places with stagnant water where dengue mosquitoes can breed.
Tayag said that they will begin their anti-dengue campaign earlier than usual this year.
The DOH also advised against wading in floodwaters, which can cause injuries and may carry rat urine that could cause leptospirosis.
Aside from wet-season diseases, the government is also watching for measles.
“To prevent further cases of measles within the first part of the year, the DOH will embark on a nationwide mass vaccination of children up to less than 8 years of age,” Tayag said. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Dec 29, 2010 | Headlines, National News, Weather Coverage
MANILA, Philippines – Scattered rain showers may dampen the New Year celebration in some parts of the country, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said today.
Pagasa weather branch chief Robert Sawi said the northeasterly wind would continue to bring mostly cloudy skies with scattered rains over the eastern sections of Luzon and Visayas starting Wednesday until Saturday, New Year’s Day.
Sawi said the rest of the country, including Metro Manila, would experience cloudy skies with light rains because of the northeast monsoon.
Meanwhile, for the next 24 hours, Pagasa said Luzon would experience mostly cloudy skies with light rains Visayas, on the other hand, would be mostly cloudy with scattered rainshowers and isolated thunderstorms, becoming cloudy with widespread rains over eastern Visayas which may trigger flasfloods and landslides.
Mindanao would have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms. Pagasa also said moderate to rough seas would prevail over Luzon and the Visayas.
Click here for full article from The Philippine Star
