(Eagle News) — Typhoon “Ompong” slightly accelerated on Friday afternoon, as it continued to threaten the Isabela-Cagayan area, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.
According to PAGASA, as of 1 p.m., the eye of the typhoon was located 470 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora, packing maximum sustained winds of 205 kilometers per hour near the center, and gustiness of up to 255 kilometers per hour.
PAGASA said the typhoon was moving west northwest, at 25 kilometers per hour.
“Ompong” is expected to make landfall in Cagayan-Isabela area tomorrow, early morning.
According to PAGASA, the storm surge-prone areas of Cagayan and Isabela may expect up to 6 meters (above mean sea level) of surge.
“Fisherfolk and those with small seacrafts are advised not to venture out over the seaboards of areas with TCWS and the eastern seaboards of Visayas and of Mindanao,” PAGASA said.
Signal No. 3 is up over Cagayan including the Babuyan group of Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Northern Aurora and Isabela.
Batanes, La Union, Benguet, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Southern Aurora, Northern Zambales are under Signal No. 2, with waves possibly reaching 4.1 meters to 14.0 meters in coastal areas.
Signal No. 1 is up over Southern Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan, Rizal, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Quezon incl. Polillo Is., Northern Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island, Northern Oriental Mindoro, Masbate, Marinduque, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon,Burias and Ticao Islands , and Northern Samar, PAGASA said.
Wave heights in open sea in these areas, PAGASA said, may reach 1.25 to 4.0 meters.
According to PAGASA, the southwest monsoon enhanced by the typhoon will also bring gusty winds with occasional moderate to heavy rains over Visayas, while scattered light to moderate to at times heavy rains over Palawan, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao and Caraga.
“Residents in these areas, especially those living near river channels, in low-lying areas and in mountainous areas, are advised to take appropriate actions against possible flooding and landslides, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and to continue monitoring for updates,” PAGASA said.
