BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – A tornado ripped through Barangay Minapasok, Calatrava, Negros Occidental yesterday afternoon, destroying seven houses and damaging 17 others.
The weather phenomenon lasted for 15 minutes, according to the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO).
But the winds spawned by the tornado were strong enough to topple trees and damage several structures, including the barangay’s daycare center.
Uprooted trees also caused temporarily road closures for several hours. Clearing operation was ongoing as this was being written.
There were no casualties. The affected residents sought temporary shelter with relatives.
The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said areas in the Visayas such as Negros Occidental were experiencing cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms due to the trough generated by Tropical Storm “Pepito.”
“Pepito” was last spotted 145 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora with maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts at 90 kph.
The storm was moving west northwest at 30 kph. No tropical cyclone warning signal was issued for the Visayas.
As of press time, personnel of the MRRDMO and provincial DRRMO were still assessing the damage caused by the tornado./PN
