Deadly storm moves away from northern Philippines, but…

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Tropical Storm Trami The wind moved away from the northwestern Philippines on Friday, leaving at least 46 people dead after massive flooding that forced authorities to search for more rescue boats to save thousands of terrified people who were left trapped, some on their roofs.

But the attack may not be over: State forecasters raised the rare possibility that the storm, the 11th and one of the deadliest to hit the Philippines this year, could do a U-turn next week when it is rejected by high pressure winds in the South China Sea.

The storm was last tracked at dawn, blowing 125 kilometers (78 miles) west of the coastal city of Bacnotan, in the northern province of La Unión, with sustained winds of up to 95 kilometers (59 miles) per hour and gusts. up to 115 kph (78 mph). ). It was moving northwest at 25 kilometers per hour (15 mph) toward Vietnam, which was forecast to be hit by Trami starting Sunday if it maintained its course.

The Philippine weather agency, however, said high-pressure winds and other weather factors in the South China Sea are likely to force the storm back toward the Philippines.

President Ferdinand Marcos, appearing exasperated, asked about that prospect at an emergency meeting with cabinet members and disaster response officials on Friday about the response to the widespread devastation.

“What’s the prognosis for that? Is it possible he’ll come back?” Mark asked.

A government forecaster told Trami could turn toward the western Philippines early next week, but is more likely to move away from the Philippines again without making landfall.

“It doesn’t have to make landfall for damage to occur,” Marcos said, citing the continued rains brought on by Trami in the Philippines.

Marcos also cited another storm brewing in the Pacific Ocean that could threaten the country again.

“Oh God, it is what it is. We just have to deal with it,” Marcos said.

State forecaster Jofren Habaluyas told The Associated Press that Trami’s possible U-turn has piqued the interest of government weather experts in Asia, including those in Japan, which has been providing information to the Philippines to help track the storm.

The Trami death toll rose to at least 46 after five more people were reported dead in floods and landslides in Bicol, an agricultural region and tourist destination southeast of Manila that is popular for the Mayon, one of the 24 most active volcanoes in the country. which has an almost perfect cone.

Nine of the newly reported storm deaths were caused by flooding and landslides in Batangas, a coastal resort province south of Manila, which was hit by torrential rains in the past two days, according to police, who said they were still collecting details about the storm. deceased.

Although Trami did not become a typhoon, it dumped unusually heavy rain on some regions, including some that recorded one or two months’ worth of rainfall in just 24 hours, inundating communities with flash floods.

Authorities in the city of Naga, where 11 people drowned, and the outlying provinces of Camarines Sur and Albay called for more rescue boats to be sent at the height of the attack to reach people trapped on the upper floors of their buildings. houses or on their roofs as the waters rose. .

In the foothills of mayon volcano In Albay province, mud and other debris cascaded toward nearby towns as the storm hit, engulfing homes and cars in streams of black mud.

More than 2.6 million people were affected by the deluge, and nearly 320,000 people fled to evacuation centers or relatives’ homes, disaster mitigation officials said.

The government closed schools and government offices on the main northern island of Luzon. Inter-island ferry services were also suspended, leaving thousands of people stranded.

In Vietnam, state meteorologists warned of heavy rain in the central region. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh ordered coastal provinces to remain alert, closely monitor the course of Trami and prepare for contingencies.

last month, Typhoon Yagi hit Vietnam, killing 323 people and causing extensive damage valued at $3.3 billion, according to a Vietnamese government report.

Every year, about 20 storms and typhoons hit the Philippines, a Southeast Asian archipelago that lies between the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea. In 2013, Typhoon Haiyanone of the strongest tropical cyclones on record, left more than 7,300 people dead or missing and devastated entire towns.

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Dinh reported from Hanoi, Vietnam.