5 Luzon airports closed due to Super Typhoon Julian, says Caap

Basco Airport (Photo courtesy of Caap)

MANILA, Philippines —  Operations at some Luzon airports were suspended on Tuesday due to the effects of super typhoon Julian (international name: Krathon), according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap).

In a 7 a.m. situational report, Caap said five airports halted operations due to flooding or damage to its facilities:

• Laoag International Airport (Visual Flight Rules or VFR operations were suspended due to light rains and damage to facilities)
• Vigan Airport (VFR operations were suspended due to light rains and flooding of runway 20)
• Lingayen Airport (Flights were suspended due to flooding of runway 08)
• San Fernando Airport (VFR operations were suspended due to light rains with low cloud ceiling and low visibility)
• Baguio Airport (VFR operations were suspended due to low cloud ceiling and low visibility)

Meanwhile, electrical and communication cables at the Basco and Itbayat Airports were down, and two of their aircraft were also damaged.

READ: CAAP completes air traffic management system upgrade

Basco Airport (Photo courtesy of Caap)

Earlier, Pagasa reported that Julian further strengthened into a super typhoon and was last spotted 205 kilometers west of Itabayat, Batanes, packing maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour (kph) with gustiness of 230 kph.

It is expected to make landfall along the southwestern coast of Taiwan on Wednesday morning or afternoon and leave the Philippine area of responsibility by Thursday afternoon or evening.

READ: Julian is now a super typhoon, says Pagasa

San Fernando Airport (Photo courtesy of Caap)