TYPHOON SWERVES, WEAKENS
Manila, Dec. 23, 1997 - The weather bureau is predicting a dry, sunny holiday season, as typhoon "Rubing" weakened and veered north of Luzon.
To most Filipinos, that normally would bring cheer. But the advent of drought caused by the El Nino phenomenon has caused many to pray for rains, even typhoons.
Typhoon Rubing, which was downgraded to a tropical depression, will not bring much-needed rains to the depleted Angat Dam, Pantabangan Dam or to Baguio's Binga Dam.
The weather bureau said Rubing weakened because of a cold front in the north and also indirectly due to El Nino.
Rubing would have been the 14th typhoon to enter the country in 1997; the average annual number is 20.
Reported by: Sol Jose Vanzi
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