Nearly 10K people flee homes as ‘Ompong’ races inland — NDRRMC

Almost 10,000 people have fled their homes as powerful typhoon “Ompong” (international name: Mangkhut) threatens to wreak havoc in northern Luzon and whip up life-threatening six-meter storm surge, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Friday. 

NDRRMC spokesperson Dir. Edgar Posadas said at least 5.2 million people are in the path of the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.

Ompong, Pagasa said in its afternoon bulletin, was still packing maximum sustained winds of 205 kph near the center and gusts of up to 255 kph

Of these figures, NDRRMC considers that 983,100 people are in poverty line or most vulnerable when the typhoon lashes northern Luzon.

A total of 2,298 families or 9,107 persons were pre-emptively evacuated in Ilocos, Cagayan and Cordillera region, official figures said.

“This is as of 6 a.m. pa. So mag a-update pa ito,” Posadas said, as the pre-emptive evacuation is still ongoing.

Forecasters warned residents in the coastal villages along the eastern seaboard of Luzon to brace for storm surges of up to 6 meters.

READ: Typhoon ‘Ompong’ takes aim at Northern Luzon

Isabela is also seen to bear the brunt of Ompong, which is expected to make landfall in Cagayan-Isabela area on Saturday morning. Heavy rains and strong winds are expected in Northern and Central Luzon. 

Ompong was last spotted 470 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora. /kga/ac