MANILA, Philippines -- Two storms that had triggered the evacuation of nearly half a million people lost much of their power Tuesday after leaving a combined total of 26 villagers dead in Luzon and the Visayas.

Tropical Storm “Lando” (international codename: Hagibis), which returned to the country the other day after making an initial exit last week, Tuesday slackened off to a tropical depression before its expected landfall in Mindoro.

Lando brought bursts of rain to Metro Manila, Southern Tagalog and the Bicol region Tuesday night.

Initially packing 175 kilometers per hour center winds, Typhoon “Mina” (international codename: Mitag) weakened to a storm with sustained winds of 65 kph as it neared the tip of northern Luzon.

A low pressure area is also forecast to enter the Philippine area of responsibility on Wednesday, but it will not hit the archipelago, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Signal No. 1 was raised over Metro Manila, most parts of southern Tagalog and some parts of Bicol in view of Lando’s return.

Heavy rains expected

“We should expect heavy rains until today in Metro Manila,” PAGASA weather forecaster Rene Paciente said Tuesday night.

PAGASA also raised Signal No. 1 over northern Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Marinduque, Batangas, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, Batangas, Bulacan, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Masbate, Aklan, Capiz, Antique, Iloilo and northern Samar.

At 4 p.m., Lando was sighted off the coast of Occidental Mindoro, packing maximum winds of 55 kph.

Moving east northeast at 26 kph, the depression made landfall in southern Mindoro Tuesday night, and was forecast to sweep over Albay and then Catanduanes toward the Philippine Sea, according to Paciente.

After hitting land mass, Lando is expected to dissipate prior to its exit on Thursday.

‘No more effect’

Less than 48 hours after smashing into Isabela, Mina weakened as it swept over Basco, Batanes, toward southern Japan.

“It has no more effect. Within the next few hours, we expect it to be out of the country,” senior weather specialist Robert Sawi said.

Signal No. 2 was raised over Batanes, and Signal No. 1 over Babuyan group of islands.

There’s still a chance a low pressure area could enter the Philippine area of responsibility Wednesday, but it would not hit land, according to Sawi.

At least one or two more storms are expected next month.

Arroyo’s praise

Lando left 14 people dead when it first struck the Visayas last week, while Mina killed 12 in a swing through the Bicol region and northern Luzon after Lando blew off toward Vietnam.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said the time and effort which government and local officials as well as the private sector gave in the face of threats from the storms was the “kind of heroism” the country needed from time to time.

“We praise the soldiers, policemen, doctors, local officials, and other government personnel and private organizations for their greatness,” Ms Arroyo said during a meeting of relief agencies.

Damage to crops

Four persons, including a 6-year-old boy, were reported killed in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) in the wake of Mina, bringing to 12 the official death count of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC).

As of Tuesday, more than 200,000 people in Regions 1, 2, 3, 4a, 5, 8, and the Cordillera were still housed in 668 evacuation centers, the NDCC said.

It said 6-year-old Jimmy Cadamos Soriano and Lawagan Baggay, 69, were both buried in a landslide in Pinukpuk town in Kalinga province.

Another victim, Felipe Abawag, 65, had drowned in Conner town, Apayao province.

The fourth fatality, 78-year-old Santos Sabedra, also drowned in Conner.

At least two fishermen were missing in Solana town, Cagayan province. They were last seen crossing a river in the town.

Mina destroyed at least P72 million worth of crops in the provinces of Isabela, Cagayan and Ilocos Norte, officials and relief agencies said.

In Isabela, provincial agriculturist Danilo Tumamao said the typhoon damaged P9.65 million worth of palay and corn. A total of 148 villages in the province were flooded.

Dinapigue Mayor Renato Candido said the route from his town to Aurora province had been blocked by landslides.

Challenge to farmers

In Cagayan, P42 million worth of palay and corn were destroyed.

“This is a challenge for us to recover. Our farm production target has been affected and we have to restart,” Gov. Alvaro Antonio said.

In Ilocos Norte, the Patapat Bridge was partially opened to motorists after some of the debris from Monday’s landslide were cleared.

Officials said it would take a week to complete clearing operation on the bridge.

At least P21 million worth of palay and corn were destroyed in Ilocos Norte, mostly in the towns of Bacarra and Sarrat.

A total of 100,588 families, or 443,105 people, in 121 municipalities were affected by Mina.

A 5 p.m. report from the Office of Civil Defense in Bicol said there were still 9,865 families, or a total of 46,308 people, in evacuation centers in the region.

Thanks to PAGASA advisories

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said Albayanos were thankful to Vic Manalo, a senior meteorological officer of the PAGASA, for his advisories on the typhoon.

Salceda said that upon the advice of Manalo, no preemptive evacuation was needed despite the reentry of Lando.

But residents along western coastal areas have been advised to stay alert for storm surges while those in low-lying areas should watch out for floods.

Those in lahar-prone areas should watch out for mudflows while those in mountain slopes should be alert for landslides. With reports from Nikko Dizon and Christine O. Avendaño in Manila, Villamor Visaya Jr., Estanislao Caldez and Cristina Arzadon, Inquirer Northern Luzon, and Joanna Los Baños, Inquirer Southern Luzon