‘Ompong’ slows down; 23 areas under signal No. 1
TYPHOON Ompong (Mangkhut) has slightly slowed down while moving westward over the Philippine Sea. At least 23 areas in the country have been placed in Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) Number 1.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its 11:00 am advisory yesterday that Ompong continues to threaten northern Luzon and it is expected to make landfall in the northern Cagayan on Saturday morning (September 15).
As of 10:00 am Thursday, the eye of the typhoon was located at 725 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes, with maximum sustained 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 at 20 km/ h. By Friday morning, it will be located at 615 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora, said Pagasa.
TCWS Number 1 has been hoisted over Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan group of Islands, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao,
Isabela, Benguet, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Quezon inc. Polillo Island, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Burias and Ticao i sl and.
Pagasa said occasional rains and gusty winds will be experienced over the above mentioned areas.
Fisherfolk and those with small seacrafts were advised not to venture out over the seaboards of those areas, the northern seaboard of northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Visayas and of Mindanao.
Ompong is the 15th tropical cyclone this year to batter Philippines. (LMY/ SunStar Philippines)