'Mina' changes course, to hit Aurora and Isabela - Pagasa

After changing course before dawn Saturday, state weather forecasters said typhoon “Mina" (Mitag) would likely pass through provinces in Northern Luzon this weekend. Nathaniel Cruz, bureau chief of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said “Mina" would make landfall in North Aurora and Isabela. Radio dzBB reported that the new forecast course of “Mina" was announced to media during a press conference at Pagasa headquarters in Quezon City early Saturday morning. Cruz said “Mina" would likely make landfall at Northern Aurora and Isabela Sunday night, then cross Northern Luzon, including Aurora, Isabela, Benguet, Ilocos Sur and Mountain Province. By Monday, “Mina" is forecast to be off the coast of Ilocos Sur, according to Pagasa. Cruz said the weather should start to improve by Tuesday. Meanwhile, Bicol would continue to experience storm weather with moderate to heavy rains, Cruza said. Cruz said Bicol would continue to experience storm weather with moderate to heavy rains. “Mina" was initially forecast to make landfall on Catanduanes in Bicol. Moderate to heavy rainfall would be experienced in Eastern Luzon and Visayas, Pagasa said. Radio dzBB reported that the new forecast course of “Mina" was disclosed to media during a press conference at Pagasa headquarters in Quezon City early Saturday morning. For his part, National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) head Glenn Rabonza said the council had alerted its forces in Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon. Rabonza, in a separate interview on dzBB radio, said “selective evacuation" would take place in Aurora. He said it would be up to local executives to thresh out the details. He added military troops had been deployed in the region since Thursday, as the Aurora-Isabela landfall scenario had already been discussed beforehand. As of 10 a.m., Saturday, “Mina" continued to move northwest toward Aurora. Storm Signal 3 remained over Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, and Polillo Island according to Pagasa. Prisco Nilo, head of the Pagasa, said that as of 10 a.m., “Mina" was 190 kilometers (km) east-northeast of Virac, Catanduanes. “Masungit ang panahon sa Catanduanes. With this development, pinapairal pa rin ang Signal 3 sa Catanduanes, Camarines Norte at Polilio (The weather is still stormy in Catanduanes. Signal 3 is still up over Catanduanes, Camarines Norte and Polillo)," he said on government-run dzRB radio. He said “Mina" still packed winds of 175 kilometers per hour (kph), and gustiness of up to 210 kph, and was moving northwest at 11 kph. Under Storm Signal 2 are Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Albay, Burias Island, Quezon, Quirino, Aurora, Isabela, and Northern Samar. Placed under Signal 1 were Masbate, Romblon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Cagayan, Western Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliaran, and Northern Leyte. Nilo said Mina would have “little effect" on Metro Manila, unless the typhoon moves a bit to the south. He said two high-pressure areas caused Mina to change direction from Bicol to the Aurora-Isabela area. "There was a high-pressure area northwest of 'Mina' near Hong Kong, and a high-pressure area over the South Pacific Ocean trailing 'Mina.' Recently, the high-pressure area in Hong Kong weakened and moved west. This modified the environmental system around 'Mina' and changed its direction of movement," he said at a press conference before noon Saturday. - GMANews.TV