Weakened ‘Goni’ seen to bypass HK after deadly hit on Bicol region

By The SUN 

Goni's aftermath in Buhi, Camarines Sur (photo by Mark Nazzarea)

Super Typhoon Goni (Philippine name: Rolly) which left a trail of death and destruction in the Bicol region on Sunday, has weakened into a tropical storm and is currently moving across the central part of the South China Sea.

Goni is forecast to move westwards and skirt around 800 km south of Hong Kong tonight, Nov 2, and tomorrow morning. Its direct threat to the territory is relatively low.

The Hong Kong Observatory said that at 5pm, the storm was about 840 km south-southeast of Hong Kong, plodding 18 kilometers per hour towards Vietnam with sustained winds of 75kph near the center.

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The powerful tropical depression, said to be the strongest this year, killed at least 16 people in the Philippines where it also devastated countless of homes and farmlands and closed the international airport in Manila for 24 hours.

Communication with many hard-hit areas remains cut off so the full extent of the damage is difficult to ascertain.

But initial reports from the Regional Office of Civil Defense said Goni left at least 10 dead when lahar from Mayon Volcano swept down Travesia, a village in Guinobatan, Albay early on Sunday.

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At least six more deaths were reported in Catanduanes, BBC reported.

As many as one million people were reportedly displaced from their homes, with about 350,000 still staying in evacuation centers.

In Catanduanes, as many as 275,000 people were cut off from electricity and communications due to the gusting winds.

Many areas in CamSur remain under water (VP Leni Robredo's FB page)

Various media reports say President Rodrigo R. Duterte visited the worst-hit province of Albay after being widely criticized for not taking a direct hand in relief operations before the super typhoon slammed into the country.

The President, accompanied by Senator Bong Go, personally thanked local officials for their “foresight” in issuing warnings about the typhoon and evacuating residents to safety.

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“You have to credit the foresight of the local officials (who) warned the residents well in advance and there was an evacuation long before it actually happened. For that alone, I'd like to thank the officials of Guinobatan,” said Duterte, who flew in directly from Davao.

Philippine Red Cross chairman Dick Gordon said Virac, the capital of Catanduanes with a population of 70,000 people, was severely damaged when Goni, with winds of up to 225 kph, first made landfall on the island as a super typhoon on Sunday.

The typhoon subsequently made three more landfalls within the Philippines before it began to move away late Sunday.

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Gordon was quoted by BBC as saying inspection teams reported 80-90% of Virac’s buildings were damaged by the typhoon.

Meanwhile, a new tropical storm is approaching the Philippines and is expected to make landfall later in the week. The latest weather bulletin showed Tropical Storm Atsani was about 910km northeast of Manila, and is forecast to move north slowly across the western North Pacific.

Atsani will linger over the seas east of the Philippines in the next two days before it may move towards the Luzon Strait and enter the northern part of the South China Sea, said the HK Observatory, although its track and intensity are still uncertain.

In Hong Kong, the northeast monsoon is expected to bring slightly cooler weather tomorrow. It will be mainly fine overnight, with temperatures falling to about 21 Celsius in urban areas and 2 degrees lower in the New Territories tomorrow morning.

The maximum daytime temperature tomorrow is forecast at about 26 Celsius. There will be cloudy periods later with moderate northeasterly winds, becoming fresh easterlies later tomorrow.

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Govt warns of tighter rules amid a new outbreak of infections

By The SUN 

Halloween revelers gathered in Victoria Park, many of whom did not wear masks

Hong Kong’s health secretary has warned that social distancing measures may be tightened anew as three new local cases of Covid-19 were reported today, Nov 2, whose main source is unknown.

Health Secretary Dr Sophia Chan expressed alarm at the outbreak traced to a hotel in Lantau, during an interview with RTHK.

Chan warned the authorities would re-impose strict gathering measures if people continued to violate social distancing rules.

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“I hope people (will) have self-discipline. I understand people would like to relax as the pandemic has lasted for a long time. But large crowds should be avoided for the overall coronavirus situation in Hong Kong,” she said.

Just last Friday, the government eased some of the restrictions, including allowing up to six people to eat together in restaurants, and four in bars. Their service hours were also extended until 2am.

However, the ban on more than four people gathering in public was kept in place.

 

The Lantau hotel where the new cluster of infections has been traced (RTHK photo)

The Centre for Health Protection reported a total of six cases today, half of whom were imported, and the other half, linked to a staycation at the Seaview Holiday Resort in Mui Wo between Sunday and Tuesday (Oct 25-27) last week.

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The first to show symptoms was a 26-year-old woman in the group of eight people who developed a fever on Wednesday, Oct 28.

On Friday, Oct 30, a 26-year-old man from the group developed a cough and runny nose.

The third linked case is a 15-year-old boy who met up with the woman in a family gathering on Tuesday and developed a cough on Saturday. The school he attends in Fanling had to be closed for two weeks for disinfection.

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CHP said it would distribute specimen bottles from the patients’ neighbors, colleagues and schoolmates, as well as the hotel guests and staff.

A respiratory disease expert, Dr Leung Chi-chiu, said people should avoid taking gathering during staycations in local hotels to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

“If there is an outbreak inside the hotel, that may affect other customers, that may cause a super-spreading event. We need to take care,” he said. 

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The three imported cases involved a 38-year-old female domestic worker who just arrived from Indonesia, a 35-year-old male returnee from Pakistan, and a 25-year-old man from Russia.

There are now a total of 5,336 confirmed cases in Hong Kong, but only 94 remain in 19 public hospitals. Of these, nine are in critical condition, five are serious, and the remaining 80 are in stable condition.

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Case of Filipina accused of $860k theft goes to District Court

 By Vir B. Lumicao 

The upmarket estate in Homantin where the alleged thef is said to have taken place

The case of a Filipina domestic helper accused of stealing $860,000 worth of branded watches, jewelry and gold bars from her female employer will be transferred to the District Court at the end of the month.

A prosecutor informed Kowloon City Court today, Nov 2, about the transfer of the case against Edarlyn Emperador, 50, to the higher court.

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No plea was taken and Emperador was returned to custody. The magistrate adjourned the case until Nov. 30

Emperador was alleged to have carried out the theft between Oct 1 last year and Aug 6 this year inside the flat of her employer at Block A, Celestial House in Homantin.

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She was arrested by police on Aug 7 when her employer discovered the theft after realizing that her Rolex watch had gone missing from her closet.

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Aside from the Rolex watch, Emperador is accused of stealing three Patek Philippe watches, a Piaget watch, a Roger Dubuis watch, one pair of Hermes earrings, a platinum Roger Dubuis necklace and gold bars.

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The prosecution said pawnshop receipts were recovered from the maid’s belongings.

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Super Typhoon Rolly leaves at least 10 people dead in Bicol region

By The SUN

Rolly's ferocious winds ripped the roof off Naga Airport (photo from CAA Phl)

At least 10 people have been reported killed while three others are missing in the Bicol region in the aftermath of super typhoon Rolly (international name: Goni).

According to initial reports from the Office of Civil Defense in Region 5, nine people have so far been confirmed dead in Albay and one in Catanduanes.

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But in the latest weather bulletin from Pag-asa issued at 11pm Sunday, Rolly had already been downgraded to tropical storm as it rapidly weakened after sweeping across much of Luzon, where it made four landfalls.

By 10pm Sunday, Tropical Storm Rolly was located hovering over the West Philippine Sea, and was estimated to be about 150 km northwest of Calapan City in Oriental Mindoro

One of the dead people in Albay being carried away (Reuters) 

Rolly had intensified into a super typhoon packing winds of up to 225 kilometres per hour before it hit the Bicol region early in the day, displacing nearly 400,000 people from their homes.

The strongest typhoon of the year also caused volcanic rocks to bury around 300 houses in Albay, ripped off roofs, toppled houses and power lines, and caused flooding in many areas.

Some of the houses buried by volcanic rock in Albay

The OCD also said 1,013 passengers were stranded in ports across the Bicol region.

After slamming into Bato, Catanduanes at 4:50 a.m. Sunday, Rolly made three more landfalls: in Tiwi, Albay at 7:20 a.m.; in San Narciso, Quezon at noon; and in Lobo, Batangas at 5:30 p.m.

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But it was downgraded back to being typhoon when it rapidly lost steam by about noon as it swept across Luzon, including Metro Manila. In anticipation of the super typhoon, the capital closed its international airport and its 12 million residents battened down their hatches.

Pag-Asa's latest bulletin shows Rolly now hovers over the West Phl Sea

In its 11pm bulletin, Pag-asa said Rolly was expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility on Tuesday morning, and would likely remain as a tropical storm.

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However, it is still expected to bring light to moderate, with at times heavy rains, over Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon.

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Rough to very rough seas with swells of between 2.5 and 5 meters will prevail off Northern and . Central Luzon, the western seaboards of Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, and eastern seaboards of Quezon and the Bicol region. Sea travel remains risky in these areas.

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Filipina, 2 Indon DHs among 7 new Covid-19 cases

By The SUN 

Newly arrived travelers waiting for their test results at HKIA

The foreign domestic workers – one Filipina and two Indonesians – were among seven  cases of Covid-19 reported today, Nov. 1, all but one imported.

The source of infection of the sole local case, a 42-year-old Chinese female detained for overstaying at Mau Tau Kok Immigration Centre, is not known.

The patient was arrested at Oriental Lander Hotel in Mongkok on Sept 28 and taken to the Mong Kok police station. Two days later, she was moved to the Castle Peak Bay Immigration Centre, and then Ma Tau Kok.

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The woman had no travel history during the incubation period so all detainees who shared a cell with her at Mong Kok police station, CIC and Ma Tau Kok, as well as her close contacts, will be sent to quarantine.

Briefing reporters this afternoon, Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan from the Centre for Health Protection said the Filipina, a 34-year-old helper who arrived from Manila on Oct 30 on Hong Kong Airlines Flight HX782, developed symptoms on Oct 16.

Despite this, she was allowed to board her flight to Hong Kong after presenting a negative swab test result as required of all travelers flying in from designated high-risk countries like the Philippines.

After declaring her symptoms on arrival at the airport, she was taken to a hospital for observation and was found positive yesterday, Oct 31. 

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The first Indonesian, a 31-year-old female, also arrived on Oct 30 from Jakarta on Cathay Pacific flight CX796. She was asymptomatic but was found infected after a test at the Hong Kong International Airport.

The second Indonesian patient, a 30-year-old female was under quarantine at The Charterhouse Hotel in Wanchai when she tested positive.

One of the three remaining imported cases was a 30-year-old male cabin crew of Trukish Airlines Flight TK070 from Turkey who arrived Oct 30 and was under hotel quarantine at the Novotel Citygate in Tung Chung.

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The other imported cases were a 30-year-old male from Dubai who arrived on the same day and flight as the Turkish air crew, and an 18-year-old female from Britain who arrived on Oct 30 on British Airways Flight BA207.

The virus is known to spread rapidly when people eat together

There were also around 10 preliminary positive cases reported today, including a cluster of five patients. One of them is a 26-year-old female clerk in Tai Po whose source of infection is unknown.

The other cases linked to her are a 26-year-old male who joined the first patient in an outing with five other peole at Silvermine Beach Resort in Mui Wo where they had meals together.

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Another is a 15-year-old male relative of the female clerk who developed flu symptoms, and studies at Fanling Lutheran Secondary School, which will close for 14 days for disinfection.

Two other close contacts of the female patient also tested preliminary positive, including an employee of Cable TV.

Dr Lau Ka-hin a manager at the Hospital Authority, said that so far, a total of 5,096 patients with confirmed or probable infection have been discharged.

Ninety-three confirmed patients are being treated in 19 public hospitals, among whom nine are in critical condition, five are serious and the remaining 79 patients are stable.

Meanwhile, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Edward Yau, said he is hopeful Hongkongers will be able to start flying to Singapore by the end of November.

Yau, speaking to reporters after attending a TV interview, said details of a “travel bubble” with Singapore that Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam mentioned last week were being finalized by officials.

Travel agencies are most likely to start selling tickets by mid-November, he said. In the initial phase of the travel bubble, at least one designated flight is expected to fly daily between the two cities.

Yau said more flights could be scheduled if demand for travel grows, but measures would also be in place to suspend travel arrangements should Covid-19 cases in either city surged.

He also said Hong Kong authorities are discussing with Guangdong officials a plan to reopen borders with the mainland as a crucial move to boost the SAR’s economy and tourism sector.

 

T4 raised over Bicol region as Typhoon Rolly seen to pose ‘serious threat’

By The SUN

Pag-asa's weather bulletin shows Rolly on track to slam onto Catanduanes early Sunday

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pag-asa), has raised Signal No. 4 over the Bicol region and warned of “serious threat”, as Typhoon Rolly (international name: Goni) moved closer to Catanduanes where it is forecast to make landfall early today.

Typhoon Rolly picked up strength as it moved closer inland, packing winds of 215 kph near the centre, with gusts of up to 265 kph as it moved west southwest at 25 kph.

Pag-asa has said it is not ruling out the possibility that Rolly may intensify to a super typhoon before landfall, which could necessitate the hoisting of signal No 5, the highest typhoon signal in the country. A storm is classified as a super typhoon once its winds reach 220 kilometers per hour (kph).

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Among the areas on its path is Metro Manila, which is expected to bear the full onslaught of the typhoon by noon of Sunday.

This prompted the authorities to order the closure of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to all flights from 10am of Nov 1 (Sunday) to 10am of Nov 2 (Monday)

According to the Manila International Airport Authority, all terminals at NAIA will be closed for the duration of the 24-hour closure, so all passengers are advised not to go to their airport to take their chances.

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In its latest weather bulletin issued at 11pm Saturday, Pag-asa said the typhoon will move towards the Camarines provinces later in the morning before heading towards Quezon province in the afternoon.

It is forecast to weaken considerably as it makes its way through the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) area, before emerging over the Philippine sea early on Monday.

But even at its current strength, Rolly is already forecast to pose a very serious threat to the Bicol region, with “violent winds and intense to torrential rainfall” likely to affect Catanduanes, the Camarines provinces, as well as the northern portion of Albay, including Rapu-Rapu Islands.

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Storm surge of more than 3 meters (around 10 feet) could be expected in the next 24 hours over the coastal areas of Catanduanes and Camarines Norte, and the northern coastal areas of Quezon; up to 3 meters in the coastal areas of Metro Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, southeastern Batangas (facing Tayabas Bay), and most of the southern coastal areas of Quezon.

Smaller swells of up to 2 meters are expected off Marinduque, Lubang Island and Burias Island, and the remaining coastal areas of Quezon, Camarines Sur and Batangas.

  

The current typhoon signals across the Philippines as Rolly approaches

The following are the other areas in Bicol put under Signal No 4

(source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Catanduanes

the eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Buhi, Iriga City, Baao, Pili, Naga City, Bombon, Calabanga, Ocampo, Sagnay, Tigaon, Goa, Tinambac, Siruma, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, San Jose, Presentacion, Caramoan)

 the northern portion of Albay (Tiwi, Polangui, Malinao, Tabaco City, Malilipot, Bacacay, Rapu-Rapu).

 

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Those under Signal No 3 are:

 

LUZON:

Camarines Norte

the rest of Camarines Sur

the rest of Albay

Burias and Ticao Islands

Sorsogon

Quezon

Laguna

Rizal

the eastern portion of Batangas (Tanauan City, Santo Tomas, Malvar, Balete, Mataas Na Kahoy, Lipa City, Cuenca, Talisay, San Nicolas, Santa Teresita, Alitagtag, San Pascual, Batangas City, San Jose, Ibaan, Taysan, Lobo, Padre Garcia, Rosario, San Juan)

Marinduque

the northern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, Baco, Calapan City, Naujan, Victoria, Pola, Socorro, Pinamalayan)

the northern portion of Romblon (Concepcion, Banton, Corcuera)

 

VISAYAS:

Northern Samar

 

The areas under Signal No 2:

 

LUZON

The rest of Masbate

the rest of Romblon

the rest of Oriental Mindoro

Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island

the rest of Batangas, Cavite

Metro Manila

Bulacan

Pampanga
Bataan

Zambales

Tarlac

Nueva Ecija

the central and southern portion of Aurora (Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler, San Luis, Dingalan), the southern portion of Quirino (Nagtipunan)

the southern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castaneda, Dupax Del Norte, Dupax Del Sur)

Pangasinan

 

VISAYAS

The northern portion of Samar (Catbalogan City, Jiabong, Motiong, Paranas, Hinabangan, San Sebastian, Tarangnan, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, Matuguinao, Gandara, Santa Margarita, Calbayog City, Santo Nino, Almagro, Tagapul-An)

the northern portion of Eastern Samar (San Julian, Sulat, Taft, Can-Avid, Dolores, Maslog, Oras, San Policarpo, Arteche, Jipapad), the extreme northern portion of Antique (Pandan, Libertad, Caluya)

the northwestern portion of Aklan (Buruanga, Malay, Nabas, Ibajay)

 

Those under Signal No. 1:

 

LUZON

the southern portion of Cagayan (Peñablanca, Iguig, Rizal, Piat, Tuao, Solana, Tuguegarao City, Enrile)

Isabela

the rest of Quirino

the rest of Nueva Vizcaya

the southern portion of Apayao (Conner)

Kalinga

Abra 

Mountain Province

Ifugao

Benguet

the southern portion of Ilocos Norte (Nueva Era, Dingras, Sarrat, San Nicolas, Laoag City, Paoay, Currimao, Badoc, Pinili, Batac City, Banna, Marcos)

Ilocos Sur

La Union

the rest of Aurora

Calamian Islands

 

VISAYAS

the rest of the northern portion of Antique (Sebaste, Culasi) 

the rest of Aklan

the northern portion of Capiz (Jamindan, Mambusao, Sapi-An, Ivisan, Roxas City, Panay, Pilar, Sigma, Dao, Panitan, Pontevedra, President Roxas)

the northern portion of Iloilo (Carles, Balasan, Estancia, Batad)

Biliran

the northern portion of Leyte (Leyte, Tabango, San Isidro, Calubian, Capoocan, Carigara, Tunga, Barugo, San Miguel, Babatngon, Tacloban City)

the rest of Samar

the rest of Eastern Samar