'Pepeng' gains speed as it heads toward Cagayan

While its intensity has slightly weakened, typhoon "Pepeng" gained speed Saturday morning as it nears landfall in northern Cagayan in four to eight hours, according to the latest Pagasa and US Navy data. Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) chief Prisco Nilo said "Pepeng" still packed maximum sustained winds of 175 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 210 kph.

It was moving faster at 17 kph as it headed northwest to northern Cagayan, where it is expected to make landfall between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. "Pepeng will be out of the country in the morning of Oct. 5 or by midnight of Oct. 4," Prisco told President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during the 10 a.m. meeting of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). State weather forecasters said early Friday night that Pepeng was headed in the general direction of Aurora and Isabela provinces, but early on Saturday they said the typhoon changed course slightly and was headed toward Cagayan province. Pepeng is expected to be at 130 km northeast of Aparri, Cagayan on Sunday evening and 170 km west of Basco, Batanes Monday evening. Nilo said Pepeng is not likely to unleash as much rain as last week's tropical storm "Ondoy." However, he explained that it is still difficult to determine how much rainfall the typhoon would bring as it "is still far away." Nilo earlier explained that "Ondoy's record rainfall in many places of Luzon, including Metro Manila, was a result of the southwest monsoon being dragged and enhanced by the storm. On the other hand, he said, Pepeng would have "a smaller rain area" compared to Ondoy's. Rains brought by tropical storm Ondoy to Metro Manila and nearby areas in a span of six hours last Saturday was the most in recorded history, surpassing the previous record for the national capital in 1967. Four areas under Signal no. 3 Pagasa placed four areas in northern Luzon under Storm Signal No. 3. (See sidebar) In its 5 a.m. advisory, the Pagasa said "Pepeng" was 260 km southeast of Aparri, Cagayan as of 4 a.m. "Northern Luzon will experience stormy weather while Bicol region and the Eastern section of Central Luzon will have rains and gusty winds with moderate to rough seas. The rest of Luzon will have occasional rains while Visayas and Mindanao will be mostly cloudy with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms," it said in its bulletin. By Sunday morning "Pepeng" is expected to be 150 kms southwest of Basco, Batanes. By Monday morning it is expected to be 290 kms west-northwest of Basco, Batanes. Pagasa reminded residents in low-lying areas and near mountain slopes under storm signals to take all precautions against possible flash floods and landslides. It also reminded those living along the coast in areas under storm signals 2 and 3 to be alert against big waves generated by the typhoon. [See: Pagasa warns of 'tsunami-like' storm surges in Bicol, N. Luzon] Meanwhile, Pagasa said moderate to strong winds blowing from the northwest and southwest will prevail over the rest of Luzon and coming from the southwest over the rest of the country. The coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. It also said strong to gale force winds will affect seaboards of Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. "Fishing boats and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves," it said. On Friday, Malacañang placed the entire country under a state of calamity in preparation for the expected onslaught of Pepeng, the 16th weather disturbance that hit the country this year after tropical storm "Ondoy," which wrought havoc in Metro Manila and Calabarzon where close to 300 people died amid heavy floods. Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the decision was arrived at with the concurrence of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). Remonde said the government had decided to declare a state of calamity "so that all government officials could already use or be prepared for the five percent calamity fund." President Arroyo on Saturday also said the state of calamity would empower local governments to run after profiteers. - GMANews.TV