Signal No. 1 raised over Catanduanes as Ompong threatens North Luzon

Signal No. 1 has been raised in Catanduanes as Typhoon Ompong entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday afternoon.

In its 5 p.m. weather bulletin, PAGASA said Catanduanes would experience the peripheral effects of Ompong within the next 36 hours, bringing occasional rains and gusty winds.

PAGASA said Signal No. 1 may also be raised in the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur on Thursday morning.

At 4 p.m., PAGASA spotted Ompong at 1,145 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes packing maximum sustained winds of 205 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 255 kilometers per hour.

Ompong is also expected to become a super typhoon with a peak intensity of 220 kph  to 270 kph (maximum sustained winds/gustiness) on Thursday, PAGASA said.

It is expected to make landfall in the northern tip of Cagayan on Saturday and is seen to leave the PAR on Sunday afternoon.

Entry into PAR

Ompong, or the Typhoon Mangkhut that wreaked havoc in Guam, entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Wednesday warned that the public may start to experience heavy rainfalls by Thursday due to Typhoon Ompong.

According to the NDRRMC, Ompong is expected to affect Northern Luzon, Cagayan, the Cordilleras, and Central Luzon.

However, the typhoon is expected to enhance the Southwest Monsoon, which in turn will bring rains over the Visayas, MIMAROPA, Zamboanga peninsula, Northern Mindanao and CARAGA.

"As it approaches malakas na 'yung pagulan eh. Kung tatama man siya sa lupa, expected landfall is early morning of Saturday. Pero 'yung malakas na pagulan, Friday pa lang mararamdaman na even Thursday," NDRRMC Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad said in a press briefing.

Jalad noted that preemptive evacuation of residents in flood-prone areas must start by later part of Thursday up to Friday, adding that the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is already releasing advisories to local government units for evacuation measures.

"Preemptive evacuation talaga ang kailangan diyan, 'yung mga communities prone to storm surge ay kailangan talaga ievacuate... kailangan natin ngayon 'yung assessment kung magkakaron ba talaga ng storm surge. Kailangan mabilis magdecide 'yung local chief executive kung kailangan na ba magevacuate," Jalad said. —NB, GMA News