Ompong enters PH; Signal No. 1 hoisted over Catanduanes

September 12, 2018

Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1 is up over Catanduanes province after typhoon "Ompong" entered the Philippine area of responsibility Wednesday afternoon.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration in a press briefing said Ompong entered PAR at around 3pm and continues to threaten the Northen Luzon area.

Weather specialist Gener Quitlong said the typhoon was last spotted at 1,145 east of Virac, Catanduanes.

It has maximum sustained winds of 205 kph and gusts up to 255kph. It is expected to move west at 20 kph.

Quitlong said the province of Catanduanes will experience the "peripheral effects" of the typhoon within the next 36 hours, bringing occasional rains and gusty winds.

Ompong may traverse the Cagayan-Catanduanes area and is expected to make a landfall in the northern tip of Cagayan on Saturday morning.

He added that TCWS No. 1 may be raised in Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur by Thursday morning.

Cagayan and Isabela may experience heavy to intense rains by Friday and the rest of Northern Luzon by Saturday.

Occasional moderate to heavy rains due to enhanced southwest monsoon may be experienced in Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao and the province of Siquijor, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Dinagat Island, Lanao del Sur, Palawan, Bicol Region, Visayas in the next few days.

Meanwhile, the rest of Luzon and Metro Manila may experience light to moderate rains with chances of occasional heavy rains starting Friday.

In preparation for the typhoon, the National Disaster and Risk Reduction and Management Council said the Department of Interior and Local Government released advisories telling local government units to undertake preparedness actions.

"What important here is the early evacuation protocol that they will conduct. Based on the forecast of Pagasa, there is the possibility of storm surge in those areas especially along the coastlines of Cagayan and the western coast of Luzon," NDRRMC Executive Director and Office of Civil Defense administrator Ricardo Jalad said in a media briefing.

Jalad said pre-emptive evacuation is expected to start by Friday or even later part of Thursday.

Pagasa said Ompong is expected to leave PAR by Sunday. Ella Dionisio/DMS