PH braces for ‘Ompong’ as ‘Neneng’ makes exit

Weathermen are keeping a close eye on two severe disturbances, including a “stronger” typhoon in the Pacific Ocean that is forecast to hit northern Luzon within the week.

Weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Tropical Depression “Neneng” brought light to moderate rains over the Batanes and Calayan group of islands on Monday as it formed 22 kilometers north of capital town of Basco.

As of 3 p.m. on Monday, Neneng packed winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gustiness of 65 kph, and was moving west northwest. It was expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) by Tuesday morning.

Gaining strength

Aurelio said Neneng’s trough would also cause cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms over Ilocos, Cagayan Valley and Cordillera regions.

Forecasters on Monday also raised another alert as Typhoon “Mangkhut” continued to gain strength as it moved westward toward northern Luzon.

With its current speed of 35 kph, Mangkhut is expected to enter the PAR on Wednesday and will be given its local name, Typhoon “Ompong.”

Pagasa forecasters said that with its latest track, Ompong would hit northern Luzon on Wednesday afternoon, bringing stormy weather to Cagayan and Batanes provinces on Thursday and Friday.

Prepare for ‘Ompong’

Malacañang on Monday reminded the public to be vigilant and take precautionary measures in preparation for Ompong’s arrival.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque assured the public that the government had prepositioned food and other relief supplies in the provinces on the typhoon’s projected path.

“We have a supertyphoon approaching, so we encourage our countrymen to be always ready,” he said in a press briefing.

While Neneng’s rains pummeled Itbayat, Batanes, it was all sunny in the rest of Luzon, giving farmers the opportunity to harvest crops ahead of Ompong.

Pagasa said 161.8 millimeters of rain were dumped in Itbayat on Sept. 9, although rainfall swiftly ebbed to 64 mm from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday. — Melvin Gascon, Julie M. Aurelio, Villamor Visaya Jr. and Nathan Alcantara