Marcos orders LGUs to prepare for Super Typhoon Leon

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Wednesday tasked concerned local government units (LGUs) to prepare for the possible impact of Super Typhoon Leon.

“Unfortunately, mukhang may padating na naman (there's another bad weather coming). Kaya’t paghandaan natin nang mabuti (let us prepare for it),” Marcos said during the opening ceremony of the Maersk Optimus distribution center in Calamba City, Laguna. 

Marcos did not elaborate on his directives. 

Leon intensified into a super typhoon on Wednesday morning, according to state weather bureau PAGASA. 

PAGASA said that as of 10 a.m., Leon was spotted 360 kilometers east of Calayan, Cagayan packing maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 230 kph.

The super typhoon was moving west-northwestward at 10 kph, it added. 

Leon already brought rains and strong winds in some areas in Luzon forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes.

Based on the tally of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), 145 have been reported killed and 115 injured as of Wednesday morning due to the combined affects of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine and Leon.

The Department of Agriculture, meanwhile, reported that damage to rice, high-value crops, and agricultural infrastructure has reached P3.40 billion, equivalent to 174,087 metric tons of produce lost due to Kristine. —KBK, GMA Integrated News