Signal No. 4 up in Cagayan, Isabela

Signal No. 4 was raised in Cagayan and Isabela by late afternoon Friday, several hours before the expected landfall of typhoon “Ompong” (international name: Mangkhut), the state weather bureau said.

The typhoon also further accelerated ahead of the landfall on Saturday morning, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) added. 

Meanwhile, the following tropical cyclone signals were hoisted over various areas of Luzon:

Signal No. 3

Babuyan Group of Islands

Southern Isabela

Ilocos Norte

Ilocos Sur

Apayao

Abra

Kalinga

Mountain Province

Benguet

Ifugao

Nueva Vizcaya

Quirino

Northern Aurora

Signal No. 2

Batanes

La Union

Pangasinan

Tarlac

Nueva Ecija

Southern Aurora

Northern Zambales

Signal No. 1

Southern Zambales

Pampanga

Bulacan

Bataan

Rizal

Metro Manila

Cavite

Batangas

Laguna

Quezon, including Polillo Islands

Northern Occidental Mindoro, including Lubang Islands

Northern Oriental Mindoro

Masbate

Marinduque

Camarines Norte

Camarines Sur

Catanduanes

Albay

Sorsogon

Burias

Ticao Islands

Ompong sped up at 30 kilometers per hour (kph), moving northwest. It was moving towards land with maximum sustained winds of 205 kph near the center and gusts of up to 255 kph.

The typhoon, the strongest to hit the country this year, began lashing Cagayan and Isabela with its heavy rains and powerful winds on Friday afternoon.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said at least 5 million people are in the typhoon’s path. More than 10,000 people have voluntarily fled their homes ahead of the onslaught. 

Ompong, estimated at 900 kilometers wide, is expected to dump massive amounts of rainfall in Northern and Central Luzon.

Ompong was last spotted 340 kilometers east northeast of Casiguran, Aurora, and is expected to be out of the Philippine area of responsibility on Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Pagasa said Palawan, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and Caraga will have moderate to heavy rains due to the southwest monsoon enhanced by the typhoon.  /kga