Super Typhoon Yolanda ravages many provinces; Stormy weather prevails over Philippines

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Super Typhoon Yolanda ravages many provinces; Stormy weather prevails over Philippines. Stormy weather will prevail in most parts of the country as typhoon “Yolanda” has made landfall in Samar on Friday morning, according to PAGASA.

PAGASA weather forecaster Gener Quitlong said typhoon Yolanda made landfall over Guiuan, Eastern Samar around 4:40 a.m. placing 22 provinces under public storm warning signal no. 4

As of 6 a.m. the eye of typhoon “Yolanda” was located 35 km west of Guiuan, Eastern Samar (10.9°N, 125.4°E) with maximum sustained winds of 235 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 275 kph. It is forecast to move west northwest at 39 kph.

In its Twitter account, PAGASA said that typhoon “Yolanda” has made second landfall over Dulag-Tolosa Leyte around 7 a.m.

Quitlong said that Yolanda after hitting Guiuan (Eastern Samar), is expected to traverse the provinces of Biliran, the northern tip of Cebu, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Romblon, Semirara Island, the southern part of Mindoro then Busuanga and will exit the Philippine landmass (early Saturday morning) towards the West Philippine Sea.

Maintaining its movement and speed, typhoon Yolanda is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Saturday afternoon towards Vietnam.

He added that typhoon Yolanda will also affect Metro Manila which will experience rains and winds on Friday afternoon.

Areas that were placed under public storm warning signal number 4 were Masbate, Ticao Island, southern Sorsogon, Romblon, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran, northern Cebu, Cebu City, Bantayan, Camotes Islands, northern Negros Occidental, Capiz, Aklan, Antique, Iloilo, Guimaras and Dinagat Province

He said that signal number 4 is the highest alert level for typhoons inside the Philippine territory.

He noted that areas placed under signal number 4 will experience “very strong winds” for at least 12 hours that could uproot many large trees and electrical posts and may even damage residential and institutional buildings.

Quitlong advised residents in areas under signal number 4 to immediately evacuate to much safer shelters “before its too late”.

Quitlong said that public storm warning signal no. 3 is hoisted over the rest of Sorsogon, Burias Island, Albay, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Calamian Group of Islands, Rest of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Rest of Cebu, Bohol, Surigao del Norte and Siargao Island as expected to have winds of greater than 100 kph up to 185 kph in at least 18 hours.

He said that the areas placed under public storm warning signal no. 2 (61-100 kph winds) were Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Southern Quezon, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Metro Manila, Cavite, Bataan, Lubang Islands, northern Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Siquijor, Camiguin, Surigao Del Sur and Agusan Del Norte.

Public storm warning signal no. 1 (30-60 kph winds), on the other hand, is hoisted over Camarines Norte, rest of Quezon, Polilio Island, Bulacan, Pampanga, Zambales, Misamis Oriental and Agusan del Sur.

PAGASA advised residents in low-lying and mountainous areas under signals 4, 3 and 2 are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides. Likewise, those living in coastal areas under signals 4, 3 and 2 are alerted against storm surges which may reach up to 7-meter wave height.

Sea travel is risky over the seaboards of Northern Luzon and over the eastern seaboard of Central Luzon.

Quitlong said “Yolanda” will bring rainfall amount from 10 to 30 mm per hour (heavy to intense) within the 400 km diameter of the typhoon.

He said this wide cloud bands of the typhoon will also affect Metro Manila and nearby provinces Friday afternoon, bringing moderate to occasionally heavy rains and gusty winds in these areas.

Quitlong said that since “Yolanda” exceeds the maximum sustained winds of 215 kph, it is the strongest cyclone, so far, to hit the country this year.

The Hawaii-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) already classified “Yolanda” as a super typhoon since it already carries maximum sustained winds of 215 kph.

In October 1991, the country was hit by Typhoon Triming with maximum wind strength of 250 kph while its gustiness has 285 kph, Quitlong said.

He added on October 1998 Typhoon Ilyang also affected the country with maximum wind strength of 240 kph and its gustiness has 250 kph.

On September 2013, Typhoon Oddete has 215 kph affecting the Northern Luzon as Signal no. 4 raise in Batanes group of island.

For Friday forecast, PAGASA said that Metro Manila, Bataan, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol region, Visayas and the provinces of Camiguin, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat and Agusan del Norte will experience stormy weather with rough to very phenomenal seas.

It added that the provinces of Bulacan, Zambales, Pampanga, Misamis Oriental and Agusan del Sur will have rains and gusty wind with moderate to rough seas while the rest of the country will be cloudy with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms.

PAGASA also issued gale warning as strong to gale force winds associated with the surge of northeast monsoon enhanced by Typhoon Yolanda is expected to affect the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboard of Central Luzon.

“Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves,” it said. (PNA)

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