There's a super typhoon coming.
From
ANC|Yahoo! Philippines
(UPDATE) As the country braces itself for what could be super typhoon, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Sec. Mario Montejo warned residents in the path of the storm to prepare for the worst.
In an interview with DZMM's Ted Failon, Montejo said the weather disturbance, with international name "Haiyan," could intensify into a powerful howler with winds reaching 200 kilometers per hour that could take down and uproot even coconut trees.
"We will not be surprised if it hits 200 (kph). Para maimagine natin na 200. Maimagine natin na what happened to Pablo. What happened to the latest typhoon in Cagayan na 132 (kph). This is much stronger. So yung mga niyog, matututmba yang mga yan," Montejo said.
He also said the storm could "rip out the roofs of houses" and old structures such as churches. Montejo also advised residents to anchor or tie down the roofs of their houses.
"Ang paghahanda ngayon ay kasali na ang pagtatali ng mga bubong. Nakita naman natin yung nangyari sa Pablo, including yung mga simbahan. Natanggal yung bubong. We still have time today and tomorrow (na) magtali," Montejo said.
Montejo also confirmed that the storm, which will be named "Yolanda" as soon as it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) this week, has "so much energy" and can very well intensify into a supertyphoon, a classification of weather disturbances that pack winds of up to 200 kilometers per hour.
"Inaasahan natin na this will intensify pa. Papasok sa Philippine area of responsibility tomorrow. So baka lang umabot it sa super typhoon o signal number 4," he said.
He said that based on their current estimates, Yolanda can make landfall over the Samar-Leyte area, pass through the Visayas region and exit the Palawan and Mindoro area with an estimated diameter of around 600 kilometers.
He also said they predict heavy to intense rains in areas covered by the storm's diameter.
According to weather bureau PAGASA, which is under the DOST, the weather disturbance was last spotted 1478 kilometers east of Mindanao with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 150 kilometers per hour. It is moving at 30 kilometers per hour.
Yolanda is expected to enter PAR Thursday early morning. Once it makes a landfall in Eastern Samar, Northern Mindanao, Southern Luzon and Visayas will be primarily affected.
“Posibleng tumaas ito dito sa may Bicol region or sa may Northern Mindanao. Kaya yung mga kababayan natin, sa ngayon kasi ang track natin Samar-Leyte area pero maghanda yung mga kababayan natin kasi kahit dito sa Samar-Leyte ang landfall, [damay] pati yung mga kalapit na lalawigan kasi may kalakihan yung diameter... (Ang) track natin Samar-Leyte area pero maghanda po sila,” PAGASA forecaster Rene Paciente said in a phone interview with DZMM.
Paciente added that even Metro Manila will not be spared from Yolanda. “Pwedeng tumaas ang signal sa Metro Manila kung ang exit ng bagyo ay dito sa may bandang Mindoro provinces, may kalapitan po iyan sa Manila, posibleng magraise ng signal ang Metro Manila.”
Over in Albay, residents and officials are now preparing for the onslaught of Yolanda.
In a report from ABS-CBN News’ Erick Baldo, pre-emptive evacuations may be implemented on residents beside Mayon Volcano and residents in low-lying areas vulnerable to flood and landslide starting on Thursday.
The Office of Civil Defense in Bicol has also instructed the local government units to carry out the necessary preparations.
Residents of Barangay Oro Site, Legazpi City have started cleaning their estero. Rescue equipment and medical kits are also on standby. Barangay Oro Site is one of the flood-prone areas in Legazpi.
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