Signal No. 3 up over 3 Luzon areas as Leon intensifies into super typhoon

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 has been raised over three areas in Luzon as Tropical Cyclone Leon (international name: Kong-rey) reached super typhoon strength on Wednesday morning, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the following areas are under TCWS No. 3:

• Batanes
• the eastern portion of Babuyan Islands (Babuyan Islands, Camiguin Island, Calayan Island)
• the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana)

TCWS No. 2 is hoisted over the following areas:

• the rest of Babuyan Islands
• the rest of mainland Cagayan
• the northern and eastern portions of Isabela (Santo Tomas, Santa Maria, Quezon, San Mariano, Naguilian, Dinapigue, Delfin Albano, San Pablo, Ilagan City, Benito Soliven, Tumauini, Cabagan, Palanan, Quirino, Divilacan, Gamu, Mallig, Maconacon, Burgos, City of Cauayan, San Guillermo, Angadanan, Cabatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Roxas, Aurora, San Manuel)
• Apayao
• Kalinga
• the northern and eastern portions of Abra (Tineg, Lacub, Malibcong, Lagayan, San Juan, Lagangilang, Licuan-Baay, Daguioman)
• the eastern portion of Mountain Province (Paracelis)
• Ilocos Norte

Meanwhile, TCWS No. 1 is also up over the following areas:

• the rest of Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• the rest of Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• the rest of Abra
• Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• Pangasinan
• Nueva Ecija
• Aurora
• the northeastern portion of Tarlac (Camiling, San Clemente, Paniqui, Moncada, Anao, San Manuel, Pura, Ramos, Victoria, Gerona, Santa Ignacia, City of Tarlac, La Paz)
• the northern portion of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Miguel)
• the northern portion of Quezon (Infanta, General Nakar) including Polillo Islands
• Camarines Norte
• the northern portion of Camarines Sur (Siruma, Tinambac, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Caramoan)
• the northern and eastern portions of Catanduanes (Pandan, Gigmoto, Bagamanoc, Panganiban, Viga, Baras, Caramoran)

Leon was located 350 kms east of Calayan, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 185 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 230 kph.

The super typhoon was moving west northwestward 10 kph.

Leon was expected to move northwestward over the Philippine Sea until it makes landfall along the eastern coast of Taiwan on Thursday afternoon. A second landfall over mainland China has not been ruled out, PAGASA said.

READ | Explainer: What is a super typhoon?

According to PAGASA, Leon's landfall over Batanes was also possible.

"LEON will be closest to Batanes from late evening today to tomorrow morning. A landfall in Batanes is also not ruled out," PAGASA said.

"This super typhoon will be near or at peak intensity during its closest point of approach to Batanes. The landfall of LEON over Taiwan will result in a continuous weakening trend for the rest of the forecast period," it added.

Evacuation

Thousands of residents in several Luzon provinces have fled their homes as Leon continued to bring rains and strong winds, GMA Integrated News' Unang Balita reported Wednesday.

In Tuguegarao City in Cagayan, some residents who were about to return to their homes after Severe Tropical Storm Kristine left the country decided to stay in evacuation centers due to Leon’s threat, Jonathan Andal reported.

Meanwhile, those who already went back to their homes were advised to evacuate again by the city government.

From 70 families, only nine families were still staying in an evacuation center in Barangay Balzain East. In Sta. Ana town, 25 more families also evacuated.

Around 4,000 residents already left their homes in the province and most of them were from Baggao with 2,000 evacuees.

It was also in Baggao where the body of an elderly man who was missing for three days amid the onslaught of Kristine was retrieved from the Pared River.

In Occidental Mindoro, travelers were already rushing to seaports as trips amid the possible threat from Leon in the coming days, according to a report of Mav Gonzales.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office is monitoring the situation and tents are already set up for possible evacuees.

Death toll rises

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the reported death toll due to the combined effects of Kristine and Leon has increased to 145.

In its 8 a.m. report on Wednesday, the NDRRMC said 37 people were also reported missing while 115 others were reported injured.

Kristine and Leon have affected a total of 7,033,922 people (1,788,630 families) in 17 regions, most of them in Bicol with 2,343,175, followed by Central Luzon with 1,061,766 and Calabarzon with 752,793.

Of the affected population, the NDRRMC said 333,951 people (86,565 families) were staying in evacuation centers while 427,059 persons (91,307 families) were taking shelter in other places.

Landslides and floods were monitored in some affected areas. A total of 111,177 houses were damaged—104,740 partially and 6,437 totally.

The cost of damage to agriculture was estimated at P2,838,568,103 and to infrastructure at P3,617,943,026. For irrigation facilities, P32,620,000 worth of damage was also reported.

Problems with power supply, water supply, and communication line services were encountered in some affected areas.

A total of 92 seaports and three airports suspended operations. At seaports, 3,275 passengers, 793 rolling cargoes, 99 vessels, and 17 motor bancas were stranded.

Classes in 1,167 areas and work schedules in 782 areas were also suspended.

Assistance worth P850,617,776 has been provided to the victims of the two cyclones so far, the NDRRMC said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News