'Ompong' maintains strength; over 30 areas under signal number 1

Track of Typhoon Ompong as of 2 p.m. Thursday, September 13, 2018. (Source: Pagasa)
Track of Typhoon Ompong as of 2 p.m. Thursday, September 13, 2018. (Source: Pagasa)

MORE than 30 areas in the country have been placed on Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) Number 1 as Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut) continues to threaten northern Luzon while maintaining its strength Thursday afternoon, September 13.

As of 4 p.m. Thursday, the eye of Ompong was located at 575 kilometers east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes, still packing maximum winds of 205 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center and gusts of up to 255 km/h.

The typhoon was forecast to move west northwest at 25 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

Pagasa added that Ompong is expected to make landfall in Cagayan-Isabela area on Saturday early morning (September 15). On Friday morning, the typhoon is expected to be at 360 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora.

Areas placed under TCWS Number 1 as of 5 p.m. Thursday are Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan group of Islands, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Isabela, Benguet, Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Aurora, Pampanga, Bataan, Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Rizal, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Quezon inc. Polillo Island, Northern Occidental Mindoro, Northern, Oriental Mindoro, Masbate, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Burias and Ticao island, and Northern Samar.

"Occasional rains and gusty winds will be experienced over these areas within the next 36 hours," said Pagasa.

Moderate to occasionally heavy rains due to southwest monsoon (habagat) are expected over Palawan, Zamboanga Peninsula and Visayas on Friday, September 14.

"The weather condition will prevail in these areas until Saturday (September 15)," added the weather bureau.

Pagasa advised fisherfolk and those with small seacrafts not to venture out over the seaboards of areas under TCWS Number 1, the northern seaboard of northern Luzon, and the eastern seaboards of Visayas and of Mindanao. (LMY/SunStar Philippines)

Trending

No stories found.

Just in

No stories found.

Branded Content

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph