'Santi' to bring heavy rains, strong winds over Luzon starting late Friday
JOHANNA CAMILLE SISANTE, GMANews.TV
10/30/2009 | 12:42 PM
Even though Typhoon Santi is not expected to make landfall until Saturday, the state weather bureau advised those in Luzon to take necessary precautions as the fourth weather disturbance to hit the country in a month's time is expected to bring heavy rains and strong winds to the region, including Metro Manila on late Friday.
"Bago matapos ang araw na ito mararamdaman na natin ang pagkulimlim ng kalangitan at paglakas ng hangin (Before the end of the day, we'll already see darkened skies and feel strong winds)," said Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) spokesperson Nathaniel Cruz in an interview over radio dzBB.
In its 11 a.m. advisory, Pagasa said Santi's center, which packs maximum sustained winds of 150 kph, was spotted 350 km east northeast of Infanta in Quezon province at 10 a.m.
Currently moving west at 22 kph, the cyclone is expected to be 70 km west northwest of Metro Manila or in the vicinity of Zambales on Saturday morning and 600 km west of Metro Manila by Sunday morning.
Even then, parts of Luzon will still experience rains, Cruz said. "Sa gabi po ng Sabado nakatawid na yung sentro ng bagyong Santi pero may mga pag-ulan pa ring mararanasan dito sa malaking bahagi ng Luzon (By Saturday night Santi's center will have passed by, but there will still be rains in Luzon)."
The Japan Meteorological Agency’s 8:40 a.m. report indicated that Santi may continue heading northwest after making landfall over Luzon. Santi is the 19th weather disturbance to hit the country this year and the fourth cyclone (after Pepeng, Quedan, and Ramil) to enter the Philippine area of responsibility since the last week of September.
STORM WARNING SIGNALS
As of 11 a.m., Northern Quezon and Polillo Islands were under storm signal No. 3 while those under signal no. 2 were: Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Tarlac, Zambales, Pampanga, Bataan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Lubang Is., rest of Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, and Metro Manila.
Areas under signal 1 were Isabela, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, Albay, Burias Is., Sorsogon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, and Calamian Group.
With storm signals up, Cruz reiterated his appeal to billboard operators in Metro Manila and Central Luzon to put down their billboards.
As early as Thursday, Pagasa chief Prisco Nilo warned the billboards may cause damage if they collapse due to winds from Santi.
"Ang nag-o-operate ng billboards, habang mas maaga siguro itiklop ang billboards. They can start tonight or early tomorrow (Billboard operators should take down their billboards, they can start tonight [Thursday] or early tomorrow [Friday])," Nilo said then.
Dams
Meanwhile, Cruz said that as of 10 a.m. Friday, Ambuklao and Pantabangan dams kept gates open to discharge excess water. While Ambuklao kept four gates open to discharge 22 cubic meters per second, Pantabangan kept one gate open to discharge 50 cubic meters per second. [See: Pantabangan Dam releases water as Santi nears]
As part of government preparations, the Philippine Army said its units are "on full standby" for any emergencies that may occur due to Santi. Companies of the Multi-Role Force (MRF) or the Army Contingent for Emergency (ACE) Battalion are ready to be deployed to any locality when necessary, said Army spokesman Lt. Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr.
"Two companies of MRF Battalion are ready to be dispatched on a very short notice. With them are life-saving device and other floating assets like two rubber boats and two motorized boats," Burgos said, adding that the troops recently underwent special training on disaster rescue.
A company is composed of roughly 100 men while a battalion, of 500 personnel. - GMANews.TV
"Bago matapos ang araw na ito mararamdaman na natin ang pagkulimlim ng kalangitan at paglakas ng hangin (Before the end of the day, we'll already see darkened skies and feel strong winds)," said Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) spokesperson Nathaniel Cruz in an interview over radio dzBB.
In its 11 a.m. advisory, Pagasa said Santi's center, which packs maximum sustained winds of 150 kph, was spotted 350 km east northeast of Infanta in Quezon province at 10 a.m.
Currently moving west at 22 kph, the cyclone is expected to be 70 km west northwest of Metro Manila or in the vicinity of Zambales on Saturday morning and 600 km west of Metro Manila by Sunday morning.
Even then, parts of Luzon will still experience rains, Cruz said. "Sa gabi po ng Sabado nakatawid na yung sentro ng bagyong Santi pero may mga pag-ulan pa ring mararanasan dito sa malaking bahagi ng Luzon (By Saturday night Santi's center will have passed by, but there will still be rains in Luzon)."
The Japan Meteorological Agency’s 8:40 a.m. report indicated that Santi may continue heading northwest after making landfall over Luzon. Santi is the 19th weather disturbance to hit the country this year and the fourth cyclone (after Pepeng, Quedan, and Ramil) to enter the Philippine area of responsibility since the last week of September.
STORM WARNING SIGNALS
See a more detailed description for each storm warning on Pagasa's website.
As of 11 a.m., Northern Quezon and Polillo Islands were under storm signal No. 3 while those under signal no. 2 were: Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Tarlac, Zambales, Pampanga, Bataan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Lubang Is., rest of Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, and Metro Manila.
Areas under signal 1 were Isabela, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, Albay, Burias Is., Sorsogon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, and Calamian Group.
With storm signals up, Cruz reiterated his appeal to billboard operators in Metro Manila and Central Luzon to put down their billboards.
As early as Thursday, Pagasa chief Prisco Nilo warned the billboards may cause damage if they collapse due to winds from Santi.
"Ang nag-o-operate ng billboards, habang mas maaga siguro itiklop ang billboards. They can start tonight or early tomorrow (Billboard operators should take down their billboards, they can start tonight [Thursday] or early tomorrow [Friday])," Nilo said then.
Various weather agencies forecast Santi to move across central Luzon and out to the South China Sea.
Dams
Meanwhile, Cruz said that as of 10 a.m. Friday, Ambuklao and Pantabangan dams kept gates open to discharge excess water. While Ambuklao kept four gates open to discharge 22 cubic meters per second, Pantabangan kept one gate open to discharge 50 cubic meters per second. [See: Pantabangan Dam releases water as Santi nears]
As part of government preparations, the Philippine Army said its units are "on full standby" for any emergencies that may occur due to Santi. Companies of the Multi-Role Force (MRF) or the Army Contingent for Emergency (ACE) Battalion are ready to be deployed to any locality when necessary, said Army spokesman Lt. Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr.
"Two companies of MRF Battalion are ready to be dispatched on a very short notice. With them are life-saving device and other floating assets like two rubber boats and two motorized boats," Burgos said, adding that the troops recently underwent special training on disaster rescue.
A company is composed of roughly 100 men while a battalion, of 500 personnel. - GMANews.TV
