Batanes meets Leon at Signal No. 4

BRACING FOR THE WORST Residents of Itbayat, Batanes, prepare for the arrival of Super Typhoon Leon, reinforcing their homes with tarpaulin and rope in this photo taken on Tuesday. —Nathan Alcantara

ITBAYAT, BATANES, Philippines — Residents were preemptively evacuated and power plants shut down in the country’s northernmost province on Wednesday, as Super Typhoon Leon (international name: Kong-rey) continued its approach, spawning gale-force winds and heavy rainfall.

At least a dozen residents, including a 1-year-old, were moved to shelters after their homes in Barangay Sta. Lucia in this town were deemed vulnerable to landslides.

In the capital town of Basco, five families, or 20 individuals, sought shelter at the Basco Cathedral Pastoral Center.

READ: Signal No. 5 raised in parts of Batanes

Fr. Ronaldo Berber Manabat said the center was ready for them. “There is a restroom, food provisions that can be cooked, as well as ready-to-eat meals, and we can also offer our kitchen at the Fiat House for cooking,” Manabat said in an advisory.

Since Tuesday, residents in the province have been securing their homes and reinforcing roofs and windows for Leon’s destructive winds.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4 was raised over the province on Wednesday afternoon, as Leon intensified while nearing northern Luzon, according to the weather bureau.

Power shutdown

As a precaution, the Basco and Itbayat Diesel Power Plants (DPP) ceased operations to protect their facilities.

According to the Basco DPP, the shutdown would help prevent extensive damage that could delay power restoration.

The Basco plant supplies power to Batan Island, covering the towns of Basco, Mahatao, Ivana, and Uyugan.

With many parts of the country still trying to recover from Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami) which struck last week and left at least 145 dead, President Marcos has ordered local governments to again brace themselves for Leon’s impact.

Peak intensity

“Unfortunately, there’s another one coming so we need to prepare for it intensively,” the President said on the sidelines of Wednesday’s launch of the Maersk Optimus Distribution Center in Calamba City, Laguna.

According to the weather bureau’s 5 p.m. bulletin, the eye of Leon was located 215 kilometers east-southeast of Basco, Batanes, with peak sustained winds of 185 km per hour near the center and gusts of up to 230 km/h.

It was moving northwestward at 20 kph and would either make landfall or be closest to Batanes late Wednesday or early Thursday.

The super typhoon would be “near or at peak intensity” when it reaches its “closest point of approach” to Batanes.

Signals

Leon was forecast to make landfall over the eastern coast of Taiwan on Thursday afternoon, before heading toward the East China Sea and exiting the Philippine area of responsibility late Thursday or early Friday.

Signal No. 3 was raised over the eastern portion of Babuyan Islands and the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan.

Signal No. 2 was raised over the rest of Babuyan Islands, the rest of mainland Cagayan, the northern portion of Isabela, Apayao, Kalinga, the northern and eastern portions of Abra, the eastern portion of Mountain Province, and Ilocos Norte.

Signal No. 1 was raised over the rest of Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, the rest of Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, the rest of Abra, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Aurora and the northeastern portion of Tarlac. —with reports from Gillian Villanueva and Julie M. Aurelio