MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Torrential rain set off by an approaching tropical storm swamped eastern Philippine cities and towns overnight in widespread flooding that trapped people, some on their roofs, and sparked frantic appeals for rescue boats and trucks, officials said Wednesday.
The government shut down public schools and government offices — except those urgently needed for disaster response — on the entire main island of Luzon to protect millions of people as Tropical Storm Trami blew closer from the Pacific.
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A man wades in floods outside his house caused by Tropical Trami, locally named Kristine, in Polangui, Albay province, Philippines on Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/John Michael Magdasoc)
Residents collect mud as they start cleaning their area after floods caused by Tropical Trami, locally named Kristine, hit in Polangui, Albay province, Philippines on Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/John Michael Magdasoc)
Debris from a damaged road and electric posts caused by Tropical Trami, locally named Kristine, in Polangui, Albay province, Philippines on Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/John Michael Magdasoc)
Residents pass by a muddied road after floods caused by Tropical Trami hit Polangui town, Albay province, Philippines Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/John Michael Magdasoc)
A resident collects mud as they start cleaning their area after floods caused by Tropical Trami, locally named Kristine, in Polangui, Albay province, Philippines on Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/John Michael Magdasoc)
Debris from damages are gathered along a bridge after floods caused by Tropical Trami, locally named Kristine, hit Polangui, Albay province, Philippines on Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/John Michael Magdasoc)
Residents walk along a muddied road as they start cleaning their area after floods caused by Tropical Trami, locally named Kristine, in Polangui, Albay province, Philippines on Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/John Michael Magdasoc)
In this photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, residents wait on top of their roofs to avoid floods caused by Tropical Storm Trami in Libon, Albay province, Philippines on Wednesday Oct. 23, 2024. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)
In this photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, rescuers carry a resident to safer grounds as they navigate floods caused by Tropical Storm Trami in Guinobatan, Albay province, Philippines Tuesday Oct. 22, 2024. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)
At least person died after being hit by a fallen tree branch in central Masbate province while seven others were reported missing, including three men who sailed to fish in the high seas from Masbate but haven’t returned, officials said.
The storm was about 310 kilometers (193 miles) east of Baler town in the northeastern province of Aurora with sustained winds of 85 kilometers (53 miles) per hour and gusts to 105 kph (65 mph). Its wide rain band could dump up to 20 centimeters (8 inches) of rainwater in one day of intense downpours in the most vulnerable provinces on its path, according to state forecasters.
The storm was forecast to hit Aurora’s coast Wednesday night to early Thursday, then barrel across northern Luzon’s mountain range, valleys and plains before exiting to the South China Sea later in the week, they said.
Thousands of villagers have evacuated to emergency shelters in northeastern provinces, and storm warnings were raised in more than two dozen northern and central provinces, including in the densely populated capital of Manila, which was not in the storm’s direct path but could be lashed by its pounding rains.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. canceled all his appointments Wednesday and convened an emergency meeting in military headquarters to discuss disaster mitigation efforts, Communications Secretary Cesar Chavez said.
During the meeting, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said the military’s aircraft and ships would be used for evacuations and disaster response. He said additional airlift power could be provided by friendly countries, including Singapore, if needed.
“People have been stuck on roofs of their houses for several hours now,” former Vice President Leni Robredo, who lives in the northeastern city of Naga, said in a post on Facebook early Wednesday. “Many of our rescue trucks have stalled due to the floods.”
Robredo expressed hopes the flooding would ease at low tide Wednesday morning when swollen rivers could flow out faster into the sea.
Coast guard personnel have been rescuing residents in flooded villages in the eastern provinces of Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes and outlying regions since Tuesday, but provincial authorities said the number of rescue boats and personnel was not enough.
Thousands of passengers and cargo workers were stranded in several seaports after the coast guard said it suspended inter-island ferry services and barred fishing boats from venturing into the increasingly rough seas.
"We need national intervention,” Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte of Camarines Sur province told DZRH radio network, saying his flood-prone province has about 50 rescue boats but needs about 200 due to the widespread appeals from villagers to be rescued.
Thousands of villagers were evacuated from low-lying communities and landslide-prone areas starting two days ago in Camarines Sur but many more were asking for help.
“Last night, my phone was filled with nonstop calls and text messages from people pleading 'Help us, rescue us,’” Villafuerte said. “It’s sad when you feel helpless because of this deluge of problems.”
In nearby Quezon province, Governor Angelina Tan said floods in some areas reach up to 3 meters (nearly 10 feet) and at least 8,000 villagers have evacuated from low-lying communities.
About 20 storms and typhoons batter the Philippines each year. The archipelago also lies in the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” a region along most of the Pacific Ocean rim where many volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur, making the Southeast Asian nation one of the world’s most disaster-prone.
In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest recorded tropical cyclones in the world, left more than 7,300 people dead or missing, flattened entire villages, swept ships inland and displaced more than 5 million in the central Philippines.
A man wades in floods outside his house caused by Tropical Trami, locally named Kristine, in Polangui, Albay province, Philippines on Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/John Michael Magdasoc)
Residents collect mud as they start cleaning their area after floods caused by Tropical Trami, locally named Kristine, hit in Polangui, Albay province, Philippines on Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/John Michael Magdasoc)
Debris from a damaged road and electric posts caused by Tropical Trami, locally named Kristine, in Polangui, Albay province, Philippines on Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/John Michael Magdasoc)
Residents pass by a muddied road after floods caused by Tropical Trami hit Polangui town, Albay province, Philippines Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/John Michael Magdasoc)
A resident collects mud as they start cleaning their area after floods caused by Tropical Trami, locally named Kristine, in Polangui, Albay province, Philippines on Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/John Michael Magdasoc)
Debris from damages are gathered along a bridge after floods caused by Tropical Trami, locally named Kristine, hit Polangui, Albay province, Philippines on Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/John Michael Magdasoc)
Residents walk along a muddied road as they start cleaning their area after floods caused by Tropical Trami, locally named Kristine, in Polangui, Albay province, Philippines on Oct. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/John Michael Magdasoc)
In this photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, residents wait on top of their roofs to avoid floods caused by Tropical Storm Trami in Libon, Albay province, Philippines on Wednesday Oct. 23, 2024. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)
In this photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, rescuers carry a resident to safer grounds as they navigate floods caused by Tropical Storm Trami in Guinobatan, Albay province, Philippines Tuesday Oct. 22, 2024. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, has died. He was 63.
The team said he died Tuesday night at a Los Angeles hospital, but did not provide the cause or other details.
His death comes as the Dodgers prepare to open the World Series on Friday night at home against the New York Yankees. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Valenzuela would be honored during the series at Dodger Stadium.
Valenzuela had left his color commentator job on the Dodgers’ Spanish-language television broadcast in September without explanation. He was reported to have been hospitalized earlier this month. His job kept him as a regular at Dodger Stadium, where he held court in the press box dining room before games and remained popular with fans who sought him out for photos and autographs.
“God bless Fernando Valenzuela!” actor and Dodgers fan Danny Trejo posted on X.
Valenzuela was one of the most dominant players of his era and a wildly popular figure in the 1980s, although he was never elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. However, he is part of Cooperstown, which features several artifacts including a signed ball from his no-hitter in 1990.
“He is one of the most influential Dodgers ever and belongs on the Mount Rushmore of franchise heroes," Stan Kasten, team president and CEO, said in a statement. “He galvanized the fan base with the Fernandomania season of 1981 and has remained close to our hearts ever since, not only as a player but also as a broadcaster. He has left us all too soon.”
Valenzuela's rise from humble beginnings as the youngest of 12 children in Mexico and his feats on the mound made him hugely popular and influential in Los Angeles’ Latino community while helping attract new fans to Major League Baseball. Their fondness for him continued for years after his retirement.
“63 is way too young.... A piece of my childhood is gone,” actor and “Access Hollywood” co-host Mario Lopez posted on X. “Growing up as a Mexican kid one of the main reasons I'm a Dodgers fan is because of Fernando. ... Not only a great player, but a great man to the community. What a legend.”
Eva Torres, originally from Mexico City, drove from Anaheim to look at murals of Valenzuela on Sunset Boulevard near Dodgers Stadium.
“I wasn’t a fan of baseball but I am a fan of his," she said. "He’s like me, an immigrant that came here to do great things.”
In 1981, Valenzuela became the Dodgers’ opening day starter as a rookie after Jerry Reuss was injured 24 hours before his scheduled start. He shut out the Houston Astros 2-0 and began the season 8-0 with five shutouts and an ERA of 0.50. He became the first player to win a Cy Young and Rookie of the Year in the same season.
His performances created the delirium known as “Fernandomania” among Dodgers fans. The ABBA hit “Fernando” would play as he warmed up on the mound.
“Fernando Valenzuela was a true icon of the Dodgers and the game,” Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., posted on X. “His legacy and connection with the Latino community in LA is one of the reasons I fell in love with the Dodgers.”
Valenzuela was 13-7 and had a 2.48 ERA in his first season, which was shortened by a players’ strike.
He was an All-Star selection every year from 1981-86, when he recorded 97 victories, 84 complete games, 1,258 strikeouts and a 2.97 ERA. He was 5-1 with a 2.00 ERA in eight postseason starts. He earned two Silver Slugger Awards and a Gold Glove.
Valenzuela’s no-hitter on June 29, 1990, a 6-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium, was an emotional career highlight. He struck out seven and walked three.
“If you have a sombrero, throw it to the sky!” Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully exclaimed in his game call.
Nicknamed “El Toro” by the fans, Valenzuela had an unorthodox and memorable pitching motion that included looking skyward at the apex of each windup. His repertoire included a screwball — making him one of the few pitchers of his era who threw that pitch regularly. It was taught to him by teammate Bobby Castillo after the Dodgers felt Valenzuela, who wasn’t known as a hard thrower, needed another pitch.
Early in his Dodgers career, Valenzuela spoke little English and had trouble communicating with his catchers. Rookie Mike Scioscia learned Spanish and became Valenzuela’s personal catcher before becoming the team’s full-time catcher.
Valenzuela was a better-than-average hitter, with 10 career home runs.
Eventually, his pitching was compromised by nagging shoulder problems that kept him out of the 1988 postseason, when the Dodgers won the World Series.
The team released Valenzuela just before the 1991 season. He also pitched for the former California Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals.
He retired in 1997, going 173-153 with a 3.54 ERA in 17 seasons, the all-time major league leader in wins and strikeouts (2,074) by a Mexican-born player. In 11 seasons with the Dodgers, he was 141-116 with a 3.31 ERA.
Valenzuela’s rise from his tiny hometown of Etchohuaquila in the Mexican state of Sonora to stardom in the U.S. was improbable. He was the youngest child in a large family who tagged along when his older brothers played baseball.
He signed his first pro contract at age 16, and soon began overpowering older players in the Mexican Central League.
In 1978, legendary Dodgers scout Mike Brito was in Mexico to watch a shortstop when Valenzuela entered the game as a reliever. He immediately commanded Brito’s attention and at age 18, Valenzuela signed with the Dodgers in 1979. He was sent to the California League that same year.
In 1980, Valenzuela was called up to the Dodgers in September and soon made his big league debut as a reliever.
He remains the only pitcher in MLB history to win the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards in the same season. The left-hander was the National League’s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game in 1981, the same year the Dodgers won the World Series.
During his career, he made the cover of Sports Illustrated and visited the White House.
In 2003, Valenzuela returned to the Dodgers as the Spanish-language radio color commentator for NL games. Twelve years later, he switched to the color commentator job on the team’s Spanish-language TV feed.
“He consistently supported the growth of the game through the World Baseball Classic and at MLB events across his home country,” Manfred said in a statement. “As a member of the Dodger broadcasting team for more than 20 years, Fernando helped to reach a new generation of fans and cultivate their love of the game. Fernando will always remain a beloved figure in Dodger history and a special source of pride for the millions of Latino fans he inspired.”
He was inducted into the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014. Five years later, the Mexican League retired Valenzuela’s No. 34 jersey. The Dodgers followed in 2023 after keeping his number out of circulation since he last pitched for the team in 1991. The team has a rule that requires a player to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame before having the Dodgers retire his number, but they made an exception for Valenzuela.
The Dodgers named Valenzuela as part of the “Legends of Dodger Baseball” in 2019 and inducted him into the team’s Ring of Honor in 2023.
He became a U.S. citizen in 2015.
Valenzuela served on the coaching staff for Mexico during the World Baseball Classic in 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2017. He was a part-owner of the Mexican League team Tigres de Quintana Roo, with son Fernando Jr. serving as team president and son Ricky serving as general manager. Fernando Jr. played in the San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox organizations as a first baseman.
In addition to his sons, he is survived by his wife, Linda, who was a schoolteacher from Mexico whom he married in 1981, and daughters Linda and Maria as well as seven grandchildren.
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FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela is doused with champagne by teammate Tom Niedenfuer after the Dodgers won the National League title over the Expos, Oct. 20, 1981, in Montreal. Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, has died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024.(AP Photo/MacAlpine, File)
FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela pitches in the All-Star game, Aug. 8, 1981, in Cleveland. Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, has died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024.(AP Photo, File)
FILE - Los Angeles Dodger pitching sensation Fernando Valenzuela tips his hat to the crowd celebrating his equaling the major league record of eight shutouts by a rookie during a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Sept. 18, 1981, in Los Angeles. Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, has died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024.(AP Photo/Molenhouse, File)
FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela blows bubbles as he passes the time in the dugout during the rain delay before Game 3 of the National League playoffs with the Expos at Montreal, Oct. 18, 1981. Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, has died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024.(AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy, File)
FILE - Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela throws the ceremonial first pitch during the MLB All-Star baseball game, July 19, 2022, in Los Angeles. Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, has died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024.(AP Photo/Abbie Parr, File)
FILE - Los Angeles Dodger pitcher Fernando Valenzuela tips his sombrero at a news conference after he was named National League Rookie of the Year, Dec. 2, 1981, in Los Angeles. Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, has died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024.(AP Photo/Wally Fong, File)
FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela pitches against a San Francisco Giants batter during the first inning at Candlestick Park, Oct. 3, 1982, in San Francisco. Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, has died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (AP Photo, File)
FILE - Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela speaks during a news conference ahead of his jersey retirement ceremony at a baseball game between the Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies, Aug. 11, 2023, in Los Angeles. Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, has died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun, File)
FILE - Fernando Valenzuela throws to the plate during the Old-Timers baseball game, June 8, 2013, in Los Angeles. Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, has died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
