Tropical Storm “Megi” drops heavy rain over the Philippines, causing deadly floods and landslides

Tropical Storm “Megi” – known as Agaton in the Philippines – dropped heavy rain over the Philippines on April 10 and 11, 2022, causing deadly floods and landslides. Unconfirmed reports mention at least 25 fatalities. Megi is currently almost a stationary system, meandering in the vicinity of the Samar-Leyte area.

Megi made landfall over the Eastern Visayas at around midnight UTC on April 10 as a tropical depression and intensified into a tropical storm while moving WNW over the coastal waters of Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

According to the national disaster agency, three fatalities were reported in the southern region of Davao.¹ However, unofficial reports coming from the eastern province of Leyte, at least 22 people were recovered after being buried under a landslide.²

“There were landslides in communities and then some of the victims were swept by floods,” Joemen Collado, police chief of Baybay city, told reporters.

“Rescue operations are ongoing as at least six more people are missing,” he added.

The storm capsized a cargo vessel CELSA-2 in the sea off Ormoc City, Leyte shortly after the ship left the city on April 9. The initial report from the Philippine Coast Guard in Ormoc City did not indicate how many crew members were aboard.³

At 15:00 UTC on April 11, the center of Tropical Storm “Megi” was located over the Municipality of Balangiga, Eastern Samar.

Its maximum 10-minute sustained winds were 65 km/h (40 mph), with gusts up to 95 km/h (60 mph). The minimum central barometric pressure was 1 000 hPa and the system was almost stationary.

Megi is forecast to continue meandering in the vicinity of Samar-Leyte area within the next 12 hours, dropping heavy rain, and then turn ESE towards the Philippine Sea.

Due to the combined effects of land interaction, increasing vertical wind shear, and the effects of the upper-level outflow of Typhoon “Malakas,” Megi is forecast to deteriorate into a remnant low within the next 24 hours.⁴

Its remnants will then continue tracking generally eastward over the Philippine Sea as it becomes assimilated within the circulation of Malakas.

References:

¹ SitRep No.3 for Tropical Storm Agaton (2022) – NDRRMC – April 11, 2022

² Tropical storm Megi hits Philippines, leaving at least 25 dead – Reuters – April 11, 2022

³ Cargo vessel capsizes off Ormoc City amid ‘Agaton’ onslaught – Inquirer – April 10, 2022

⁴ TROPICAL CYCLONE BULLETIN NO. 25 – Tropical Depression “AGATON” (MEGI) – Issued at 5:00 AM, 12 April 2022 – PAGASA

Featured image: Tropical Depression “Megi” (Agaton) and Typhoon “Malakas” at 23:30 UTC on April 11, 2022. Credit: JMA/Himawari-8, zoom.earth, TW