‘Quiel’ gains strength but not liked to make landfall

MANILA, Philippines — Rainy weather will prevail over Metro Manila and several parts of the country on Thursday as Tropical Storm “Quiel” was expected to gain strength off Palawan province but not likely to make landfall.

As of 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Quiel was 455 kilometers west northwest of Coron, Palawan, packing peak winds of 75 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

It remained almost stationary and was not seen to make landfall as its forecast track shows a westward movement toward Vietnam, said weather specialist Benison Estareja at a press briefing.

Pagasa is also monitoring a typhoon outside of the Philippine area of responsibility, with an international name “Halong.” As of Wednesday afternoon, it was seen at 2,975 km east of extreme northern Luzon, with winds of 215 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 265 kph.

Halong was moving slowly northward and is not expected to hit landfall in the Philippines, Estareja said.

In Metro Manila, 39 flights were delayed as two lightning alerts were hoisted minutes apart over Ninoy Aquino International Airport following thunderstorms on Wednesday afternoon.

The Manila International Airport Authority halted ground operations after Pagasa issued the lightning alerts from 12:58 p.m. to 2:10 p.m. and from 2:27 p.m. to 3:07 p.m., delaying the arrival or departure of 13 international and five domestic flights.

The suspension of operations were meant to ensure the safety of ground personnel on the runways and the airport ramps or apron where planes are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled, or boarded. —With a report from Jerome Aning