MANILA -- Typhoon Basyang (international codename: Conson) has changed from its original Northern Luzon track as it crosses Central Luzon provinces including Metro Manila on Tuesday night.
In its 5 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the typhoon is expected to make landfall between Aurora and Northern Quezon area tonight after packing winds of 120 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph.
Moving west at steady 22 kph, the weather bureau said Basyang was estimated at 40 kilometers north northeast of Daet, Camarines Norte.
Storm signal no. 3 is hoisted over the provinces of Camarines Norte, Northern Luzon, Polilio Island and Aurora.
Public storm signal number 2 was raised over Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Southern Quezon, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Marinduque and Isabela.
Metro Manila, on the other hand, is placed under signal no. 1 along with Albay, Ifugao, Batangas, Cavite, Bataan, Pampanga, Zambales, Tarlac, Pangasinan, La Union, Benguet, Mt. Province, Ilocos Sur, Kalinga, Apayao Abra, Cagayan, and Ifugao.
Pagasa said the areas under these signals will experience stormy weather as it advised the public against flashfloods and landslides.
Those living along the coast in areas under signal no. 2 and 3 are advised to be on alert against big waves generated by the typhoon, it added.
Basyang is expected to be at 160 kilometers northwest of Iba, Zambales on Wednesday afternoon and 570 kilometers west northwest of Sinait, Ilocos Sur on Thursday afternoon.
Pagasa administrator Prisco Nilo said in media briefing Tuesday afternoon that the typhoon will bring heavy damage to agriculture, especially in Central Luzon.
“But we are more focused on flood because based on statistics, 80 percent of the damage to these crops is due to flood, along with landslides,” he said.
Nilo added that the typhoon brings an average of 10 to 20 millimeters of rainfall per hour. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)