BY LIEZLE BAZA INIGO
DAGUPAN CITY – Residents of Pangasinan towns were terrified as intense microburst toppled trees, power poles, and damaged some structures in their areas on Sunday morning.
Some of those who witnessed the phenomenon in the towns of Mapandan, Mangaldan, Sta. Barbara, and other towns of Pangasinan posted their experience in their Facebook accounts.
A microburst is a plume of rapidly sinking air in a thunderstorm.
“It’s the load of the hail and heavy rain that drags the air downward, punching toward the ground like a fist,” a resident of Sta. Barbara said.
Some said they saw small explosions at exactly 6:18 a.m.
“Natumba ang aming puno at nawalan na rin kami ng kuryente magdamag” a resident of Binmaley said.
Provincial capitol employee Muyyhen Salvoro was able to capture the scary thunderstorm along Lingayen-Binmaley baywalk.
Meanwhile, Pangasinan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) explained in its Facebook page the occurrence of microburst.
“Ang isang microburst ay isang downdraft na bumababa sa lupa na nagreresulta sa isang marahas na pagsabog ng hangin sa lupa. Ito ay may taglay na hangin na umaabot sa 100 mph na katulad sa ilang mga buhawi, bagaman ang mga microburst ay hindi gaanong kinikilala bilang isang buhawi,” PDRRMO said.
On the otherhand PAGASA Senior Weather Specialist Chris Perez said what was shown in the photos was a supercell.
He said it is a thunderstorm characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone — a deep, persistently rotating updraft.
“Lahat ‘yan matinding ulan na may kasamang yelo, bugso ng hangin, tornado and kidlat/kulog,” he added.
He said, this is just an initial assessment based on the photo captured on Saturday evening by Muyyhen Salvoro.
During microburst, he advised the public to stay indoors; avoid staying in high areas and under trees, bodies of water, and near electrical appliances. (Liezle Basa Inigo )
