‘Yolanda’ expected to leave PH Saturday–Pagasa

Residents clear the road after a tree was toppled by strong winds and damaged a van at the onslaught of powerful typhoon Haiyan that hit the island province of Cebu, Philippines Friday Nov. 8, 2013. AP

MANILA, Philippines – After lashing the country the whole day Friday, Super Typhoon “Yolanda” (International name Haiyan) is expected to leave the country by Saturday morning, the state-run weather bureau said.

The eye of typhoon “Yolanda” was located 115 kilometers west of Roxas City, Antique and was continously moving west northwest towards Vietnam at 40 kilometers per hour, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Friday.

At its current speed, Yolanda is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility by 10 a.m. Saturday.

Signal No. 4 continues to be up in Extreme Northern Palawan, including the Calamian Group of Islands, Southern Occidental Mindoro, Southern Oriental Mindoro, Aklan, Capiz, Antique, Iloilo, and Guimaras.

Signal No. 3 is up in the rest of Mindoro Provinces, Rombol, and the rest of Northern Palawan including Puerto Princesa City.

The areas of Lubang Island, Batangas, Marinduque, rest of Palawan, Burias Island, Masbate, Ticao Island, Negros Provinces, Cebu, and Biliran Island are under Signal No. 2.

Metro Manila, Bataan, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, Quezon, Camarines Provinces, Albay, Sorsogon, Samar Provinces, Leyte Provinces, Camotes Island, Bohol, Siquijor, Camiguin, Surigao del Norte, and Dinagat provinces are all under Signal No. 1.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said during its briefing earlier on Friday that Yolanda claimed the lives of three people while seven were injured.

At least 718,208 people or 145,641 families have been evacuated ahead of the arrival of the storm Friday morning.

Estimated rainfall amount continues to be from 10 to 20 millimeters per hour in the 400 kilometers of the 600-kilometer wide typhoon.

Yolanda is regarded by meteorologists worldwide as the strongest typhoon to make landfall in recorded history.