Typhoon Paeng enters Phl, may affect N. Luzon

Typhoon Paeng entered the Philippine area of responsibility yesterday and is expected to hit extreme Northern Luzon this weekend.

Paeng (international name Trami), the 16th tropical cyclone to enter the country this year, was forecast to affect Batanes-Babuyan Group of Islands by Friday.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the eye of the typhoon was located at 1,290 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, packing winds of 125 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 155 kph.

It was forecast to move west at 20 kph.

The typhoon still has no direct effect on any part of the country yet, the weather bureau said.

PAGASA said partly cloudy to cloudy skies would prevail over the entire country in the next 24 hours, apart from isolated rains due to thunderstorms.

Paeng is expected to be at 960 km east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan this afternoon.

By Friday afternoon, it was projected to be at 185 km northeast of Basco, Batanes.

The weather bureau is expected to raise tropical cyclone warning signals over extreme Northern Luzon on Thursday or Friday as the center of the typhoon approaches landmass.

PAGASA weather specialist Ariel Rojas said the typhoon is not expected to hit Northern Luzon areas, which was recently devastated by Typhoon Ompong. However, rains are still expected over these areas and could trigger floods and landslides.

Ompong, the strongest cyclone to hit the country so far this year, battered Northern Luzon two weekends ago, triggering landslides and floods that killed at least 95 people.

PAGASA was not expecting significant enhancement of the southwest monsoon that could bring heavy rains in some areas in the country this week, Rojas said.

Paeng is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Saturday.

Science Undersecretary and Phivolcs director Renato Solidum Jr. warned yesterday the public against the possibility of floods and landslides due to rains that could be brought by the approaching tropical cyclone.