Tropical Storm Bavi is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) Tuesday morning and will then be named Betty, State Meteorologist Manny Mendoza said.

Estimated at 2,100 kms east of the Bicol Region this morning, Bavi packs maximum sustained winds of 75 kph and gustiness of up to 90 kph. The cyclone moves in a west southwest direction at 35 kph.

Mendoza states that the storm has a higher chance of weakening into tropical depression category before dissipating in the following days.

Meanwhile, the ridge of high pressure area affects Northern Luzon, bringing a warm weather condition today.

Based on PAGASA’s latest weather forecast, the whole archipelago will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with possible isolated cases of rain showers or thunderstorms.

Cyclone Pam raged in the South Pacific island nation, Vanuatu. The category 5 cyclone has been compared to Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) that devastated Central Philippines back in November 2013.

BBC News Asia reported that up to 90% of infrastructure were drastically shattered in the Pacific Island’s state capital Port Vila. The situation in the area was described into one word, “apocalyptic”, Red Cross Spokesperson said.

With winds of up to 165 mph, Pam swerved off from its forecast track damaging populated areas on Friday night. Like what happened during the nightmare of Yolanda, communities were wiped out.

For better comparison, let us go into the details of Pam’s and Yolanda’s (Haiyan) similarities.

Point #1: Winds
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) has recorded windspeeds 190 miles per hour for Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) during its landfall. Cyclone Pam was reported to have moved at 165 mph as it battered Central and Southern Vanuatu.

Point #2: Pressure
According to JTWC, Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) has a reported central pressure of 895 millibars upon making its landfall on November 7, 2013. Meanwhile, Cyclone Pam is at 899 millibars as of 11 PM on March 13 as reported by the Fiji Meteorological Service.

Specifics shows slight differences between Cyclone Pam and Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). However, the disparity were of no value considering the annihilation they both brought.

Sendai, Japan- Leaders from 186 countries and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) experts from various sectors gathered at the opening ceremony of the 3rd United Nations World Conference in Disaster Risk Reduction on March 14. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon addressed the delegation of 4,000, emphasizing the need to invest heavily in DRR as disaster-related annual economic losses now exceed US$300 billion.

Emiko Okuyama, Mayor of the City of Sendai, welcomed the delegates of the conference and thanked the global community for the support that the city received after the East Asia Earthquake on March 11, 2011. Hosting this conference also signifies how the city is able to bounce back after the devastation that claimed over 20,000 lives.

Throughout the conference, best practices of organizations and countries on DRR will be presented through exhibitions, forums and discussions.

Addressing the Hyogo Framework of Action

Ministerial meetings discussing updates on the Hyogo Framework of Action will be held in the next couple of days. The Hyogo Framework of Action is a working plan on how to reduce disaster losses from a multi-sector approach. This was initially drafted in Hyogo, Kobe, Japan in 2005.

Displaced due to Climate Change

In one of the public forums, the Nansen Initiative will be addressing the pressing concern of people who are displaced due to disasters and climate change. Every year, millions of people in the world are forced to move away from their homes because of disasters and effects of climate change. The Nansen Initiative is prioritizing this issue so that it may be included in the final document of the Hyogo Framework of Action.
 
Women’s role in Disaster Risk Reduction

 
In his keynote speech during the High-level Partnership Dialogue: Mobilizing Women’s Leadership in Disaster Risk Reduction, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said “One of the major projects that will be undertaken through this initiative is the launch of the Training to Promote Leadership by Women in Disaster Risk Reduction. Furthermore, at the World Assembly for Women in Tokyo to be held this summer, one of the themes will be Women and Disaster Risk Reduction.”

Coincidentally, heading the Philippine delegation in the conference are both women, Senator Loren Legarda and Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman, who delivered the country’s report on DRR.

Recognized as UN Champion on DRR for Asia Pacific, Senator Legarda co-chaired the dialogue, emphasizing the women’s role in disaster resiliency, one of the developments in the Hyogo Framework for Action on its first decade. Legarda stressed that women should be positioned as forefront decision makers for DRR efforts. Through the post-2015 framework for DRR, gender, age and disability sensitivity will be pushed globally.

Philippine Delegation in Sendai

No less than seventy-nine Philippine contingents flew to participate in the conference. Aside from Legarda and Soliman, the delegation includes National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Executive Director USEC Alexander Pama, PAGASA Administrator Dr. Vicente Malano, Climate Change Commissioner Lucille Sering, Assistant Secretary for Education Reynaldo Laguda, and Philippine Red Cross Chairman Dick Gordon.

ASEC Laguda presented a national framework on Comprehensive School Safety, pushing disaster management curriculum in over 47,000 schools in the country. He explained, “We aspire for students having the capacity to save themselves and be equipped with knowledge, skills and an orientation of preparedness that they can share with their families and their immediate community.” Laguda then finished his speech by reiterating the major role of education and community engagement in achieving a resilient environment.

Dr. Mahar Lagmay also shared Department of Science and Technology’s multi-hazard tools such as Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards), which highlights maps that identify areas prone to floods and storm surges, and LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging Project), a computer-assisted analyses that identify exact areas prone to landslides. Lagmay also introduced WebSafe, a newly developed tool that provides visualization on the possible extent of a disaster and its impact to the populace. This was adapted from Indonesia’s InaSAFE in collaboration with the World Bank-Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR).

– With reports from Donna Lina-Flavier and George Gamayo

 
 
Yesterday morning, producers of Panahon TV visited the Japan Meteorological Agency situated in the world’s largest city, Tokyo. Senior Scientific Officer Takuya Hosomi welcomed the Panahon TV team by touring them in the operations center where different numerical models and satellite imagers were monitored.

Mr. Mikio Ueno, a forecaster in JMA’s Tokyo Typhoon Center, is also introduced to the team. According to Ueno, changes in the weather such as thunderstorms, torrential rains and tornadoes are just some of the information they usually issue to alleviate further effects of natural disasters. Issuance of warnings does not just happen on the grounds; an Aeronautical Weather Forecast Center is also stationed with them to help aircraft operations. But apart from all the meteorological duties, JMA is also mandated to observe seismic and volcanic activities as 110 active volcanoes are nestled in the country.

Moving in a west northwest direction at 25 kilometers per hour, a tropical storm with international name “Bavi” is now being monitored by PAGASA. According to Weather Forecaster Gener Quitlong, as of 8:00AM today, it was located at approximately 3,870 kilometers east of Mindanao.

“Bavi” is still too far to affect the country but if it maintains its speed and direction, it is expected to enter our boundary by Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning next week. All are advised to monitor updates and further development.

Meanwhile, compared to yesterday, the northeast monsoon or amihan has slightly weakened. It will affect Northern and Central Luzon, bringing cloudy skies with light rains over Cagayan Valley, the Cordillera Administrative Region and the province of Aurora. Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have generally fair weather aside from possible isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.

As amihan weakens, coastal waters throughout the archipelago will have slight to moderate conditions. Though gale warning was already lifted, all fishing boats and other small sea craft are still advised to be cautious in venturing out into the sea.

The presence of the prevailing amihan also affected the temperatures in Luzon but these were not as low as the previous records. Here are the lowest temperatures recorded in the Philippines yesterday, March 12, 2015:

Japan- PANAHON.TV, the Philippines’ only dedicated program on weather and traffic, climate change and preparedness is covering the 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan on March 14-18, 2015.

Located 300 kilometers north of Tokyo, Sendai was one of the hard hit areas of the March 11, 2011 Great East Asian Earthquake. Multi-sector experts will be attending the conference.

The key focus of the conference is the Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. There will also be a series of public forums and study tours in Sendai.

United Nations’ Secretary- General UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will be meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe together with leaders attending the conference.

For more information on the conference, visit: http://www.wcdrr.org/home. The hashtag: #WCDRR will also be used for the conference.

A tropical cyclone was spotted outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). PAGASA Weather Forecaster Meno Mendoza said it is still too far to affect the country so continuous monitoring will be done by the weather bureau.

The northeast monsoon or amihan prevails over Luzon, bringing cloudy skies with light rains over Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, CALABARZON, Bicol Region, and the provinces of Aurora and Samar. Metro Manila and the rest of the country can expect partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.

As amihan blows over the PAR, it continues to affect the sea condition. Gale warning is up over the eastern seaboard sof Luzon and Visayas, which includes Isabela, the eastern coasts of Cagayan, Aurora, Camarines Provinces, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Quezon, Polilio Island, Samar and Leyte. Waves with height ranging from 3.4 to 4.5 meters are expected.

Cloudy weather was experienced in some parts of the country yesterday. PAGASA Weather Forecaster Chris Perez explained that the cloudiness brought by amihan has extended over Northern, Central and Southern Luzon. Due to the cloudy skies and rain showers, cooler weather was felt resulting to lower temperatures. Yesterday, the maximum temperature in Quezon City only reached 26.9 degrees Celsius, much lower than the previous days.

Weak El Niño to affect PH

In a press conference held yesterday at the Science Garden, Quezon City, PAGASA confirms an on-going weak El Niño, which is characterized by the unusual warming of the ocean in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific.

Aside from the below-normal rainfall, warmer air temperatures in the Philippines are also expected in the coming months. The number of tropical cyclone is less likely to be affected but El Niño can influence the cyclones’ movement and intensity. According to PAGASA, cyclones may be stronger, but with a greater chance of re-curving northward. All are advised to monitor updates and further development.

Exactly four years ago, the people of Northeast Japan experienced the darkest and longest six minutes of their lives as a 9.0 magnitude earthquake shook their homes, setting off a chain of catastrophic events that killed 15,703 people and destroyed $300 billion worth of properties.

Let us remember the key events that unfolded on those fateful days, which began on March 11, 2011:

March 11, Friday, 2:46 PM One of the most powerful earthquakes shook Northeast Japan, prompting the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center to issue a tsunami warning from Japan to the U.S. west coast. The tsunami alert included more than 50 countries, including the Philippines.
Just within an hour after the quake, a tsunami with an estimated height of 30 feet pounded over Japan’s coastal areas. Residential establishments, commercial buildings, and even cars and trains were washed away. Vital infrastructures, such as bridges, roads, and communication towers were also destroyed. Dead people were scattered on the streets.

8:15 PM The tsunami that ensued after the quake posed a threat to 54 nuclear power plants across Japan, urging the Japanese Government to declare an emergency situation for the power plants near Sendai, 180 miles from Tokyo.

10:29 PM The cooling system of the Fukisihima nuclear plant ceased operating, spreading fear of radiation leaks. Thousands of people living within the mile-and-a-half radius of the plant were ordered to evacuate.

March 12, Saturday, 2:06 AM The radiation level in the Fukishima nuclear plant began to rise. In less than an hour, the government confirmed a radiation leak. An explosion occurred in a building housing one of the plant’s reactors.

March 13, Sunday, Energy rationing had to be implemented due to the shutting down of nuclear power stations. Millions of residents were without power and water.

March 14, Monday, A second explosion occurred at the Fukishima nuclear power plant.

In a report dated February 10, 2015, CNN.com reported 15,890 confirmed deaths due to the earthquake and its related incidents.

In another report dated March 9, 2015, USA Today stated that radiation levels remain as much as 10 times above normal, resulting to nearly a quarter-million displaced Japanese. Hundreds of square miles forest, farmlands and settlement remain uninhabitable.

Recovery Efforts

The wise Confucius once said that “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop”, a saying that’s synonymous to Japan’s current efforts.

Despite the slow pace of recovery, Japan continues to strive harder, seen with the construction of 70 new sea walls (90-meters wide, 15-meters high) that started in Kesennuma in the Miyagi Prefecture. This was authorized by the central government to protect the northeastern coastline.

From 40%, the operation of fish processing businesses in five (5) hardest-hit prefectures has doubled to 80%.

Considerable progress has also been reported in areas affected by radiation. Clean-up efforts have reduced the levels of radioactivity around the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Hospitals, nursery homes and some vital institutions are either finished or nearing completion according to Japanese Red Cross.

The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake reminded us that even a highly developed country such as Japan, with all its advanced technology, was still no match against nature’s fury.

Nevertheless, four years after the disaster, the Japanese people’s discipline and tenacity prevail as they continue to recover and rebuild their communities.

The northeast monsoon is still the dominant weather system inside the PH boundary.

Today, the islands of Batanes, Calayan and Babuyan will have partly cloudy skies with light precipitation. Meanwhile the rest of the country including Metro Manila will have favorable weather conditions, however PAGASA suggests continuous monitoring as isolated rains and thunderstorms are expected to happen within the day.

The state weather bureau is also monitoring the progress of El Nino. According to PAGASA Meteorologist Buddy Javier, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has a reported weak El Nino. However, the full details regarding the matter will be discussed today at the conference to be held at PAGASA.

March 11, 2011: The Great East Japan Quake and Tsunami

Exactly four years ago, the people of Northeast Japan experienced the darkest and longest six minutes of their lives as a 9.0 magnitude earthquake shook their homes, setting off a chain of catastrophic events that killed 15,703 people and destroyed $300 billion worth of properties.

Let us remember the key events that unfolded on those fateful days, which began on March 11, 2011.