Disaster Watch
'Basyang' now a typhoon, signal no. 3 over 5 areas
Katherine Evangelista, Alcuin Papa, Philippine Daily Inquirer , July 13, 2010
MANILA, Philippines— (UPDATE 2) Tropical storm "Basyang" (international name: Conson) has intensified into a typhoon and signal number 3 has been raised over five provinces, the state weather bureau said Tuesday.
The Department of Education suspended classes in Metro Manila and other affected areas shortly before noon.
Chief state weather forecaster Prisco Nilo said "Basyang" would likely hit land Tuesday night or early Wednesday. It is expected to make landfall over the Aurora-Northern Quezon area, according to the state-run Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
"Areas that are in the direct path will experience heavy rains, even areas to the south of the typhoon will have strong rain," Nilo told reporters. "It is possible that there will also be landslides or flooding."
Packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers (75 miles) per hour near the center and gusting at up to 150 kilometers per hour, "Basyang," the first to hit the country this year, was bearing down on Catanduanes island on the country's eastern seaboard.
It was expected to cut west after that, dumping up to 20 millimeters (0.8 inches) of rain an hour on Luzon before exiting into the South China Sea on Wednesday, Nilo said.
"That is a heavy rain," he said.
In its weather bulletin issued at 11 a.m., Pagasa raised signal number three over Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Northern Quezon, Polillo Island, and Aurora while signal number two remains over the provinces of Camarines Sur, Southern Quezon, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, and Isabela.
Likewise, signal number 1 has been raised over Metro Manila, Albay, Marinduque, Batangas, Cavite, Bataan, Pampanga¸ Zambales¸ Tarlac, Pangasinan, La Union, Benguet, Mt. Province, Ilocos Sur, Kalinga, Apayao, Abra, Cagayan, Ifugao, and Abra.
The weather bureau said that as of 10 a.m. Basyang was seen 90 kilometers north of Virac, Catanduanes, packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 150 kph.
The typhoon is forecast to move westward at 22 kph headed towards the Aurora-Northern Quezon area, it said.
"Residents living in low lying and near mountain slopes under signal numbers 3, 2, and 1 are advised to take all the necessary precautionary measures against flash floods and landslides," the weather bureau warned.
"Those living along the coast in areas under signal numbers 2 and 3 are advised to be on alert against big waves generated by the typhoon," it added.
By Wednesday morning, the typhoon is forecast to be 60 kilometers west of Baguio City and at 350 kilometers west of Laoag City by Thursday morning.
In August last year, Tropical Storm "Ondoy" (international codename: Ketsana) dumped a record amount of rain across the capital, causing deadly floods, and was followed closely by Typhoon Parma (international codename: Pepeng) which ravaged the rest of Luzon.
Aside from killing over 1,000 people, the two storms severely affected the lives of 9.3 million people.
The government pledged to move slum dwellers from the most vulnerable areas on the outskirts of Manila, but few have been relocated and could again be severely affected by floods this year.
An average of about 20 typhoons slam into the Philippines every year.
Source: Inquirer
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