Don’t let sunny weather fool you, NDRRMC warns
MANILA — The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council yesterday has an advice for the residents on the forecast track of Typhoon Ompong: Do not be fooled by the sunny weather.
The public should remain vigilant as “Ompong”—dubbed by weather officials as the “strongest to hit the country this year”— inches closer to the land, NDRRMC spokesperson Edgar Posadas said yesterday.
“Wag po tayong papakasigurado kasi remember ‘yung Yolanda, the day prior mainit, umaaraw. Pero nung kinabukasan, ‘yun na ‘yung delubyo,” Posadas said in a press briefing.
Posadas noted that the diameter of “Ompong” (900 kilometers) is larger than that of super typhoon Yolanda (600 kilometers).
Posts on social media show photos of calm and sunny weather in northern Luzon, which is forecast to be threatened by the weather disturbance.
In an earlier press briefing, PAGASA said the significant rainfall brought by “Ompong” would be first felt Friday in Isabela and Cagayan.
By Saturday, the whole of northern Luzon, particularly the western part of Ilocos Region — Ilocos Sur and La Union — and the Cordillera Administrative Region will experience the highest rainfall amount from “Ompong.”
The typhoon is expected to make landfall in northern Cagayan on Saturday morning. PAGASA also warned that Aparri in Cagayan would experience a storm surge with a height of five to six meters. Twenty-four areas have been placed under tropical warning cyclone signal number one as of 11 a.m.
“Ompong” was last located 725 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes with maximum sustained winds of up to 205 kph and gusts of up to 255 kph.
Posadas also said the government is 85 percent to 90 percent prepared for the impact of Typhoon Ompong. “We are confident that our inter-agency regional councils with the support and cooperation of the provincial and local units are ready to address the impending threats of the typhoon,” he said.
Posadas noted disaster offices in Regions 1, 2, 3 and CAR have been placed on red alert. Blue alert, meanwhile, has been raised over DRMM offices in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Metro Manila, Central Visayas, CARAGA and ARMM.
“Nag-improve tayo lahat after Yolanda, hoping and praying na zero casualty this time,” Posadas added. —