'Pepeng' slams Luzon for second time

MANILA, Philippines - Tropical storm “Pepeng” (international name Parma) last night made landfall over the northern part of Ilocos Norte, hitting Northern Luzon for the second time in a span of three days, state weather forecasters said.

Administrator Prisco Nilo of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Pepeng made landfall at 8 p.m. and could worsen the damage it caused to the region earlier this week.

Pepeng maintained its strength and Pagasa deputy administrator Nathaniel Cruz said as of yesterday afternoon they have been receiving reports that winds of more than 100 kilometers per hour were already being experienced in Laoag City.

As of 5 p.m. yesterday, Pagasa raised storm warning signal no. 3 over Batanes Group of Island, Northern Cagayan (including Babuyan and Calayan Island), Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Abra and Ilocos Sur.

Storm signal no. 2 remained hoisted over the rest of Cagayan, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Benguet and La Union.

Signal no. 1 was up in Isabela, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya and Pangasinan.

Cruz said stormy weather would continue to prevail over Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Kalinga, Calayan and Babuyan in the next three days.

Meanwhile, typhoon “Quedan” (international name Melor) continued to move away from the country yesterday toward southern Japan.

In a 5 p.m. press briefing yesterday, Cruz presented two scenarios that would likely happen to Pepeng in the next three days: First, Pepeng would likely be dragged up by Quedan and move toward Batanes. Second, Pepeng would move south southwest after making landfall over Ilocos Norte then move toward the South China Sea.

Nilo said Pepeng moving south southwest or towards Vietnam was the “most possible” scenario.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Pepeng was spotted some 50 kilometers north of Laoag City, packing winds of 105 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 135 kph.

It was forecast to move south southwest slowly.

Nilo said Pepeng was weaker yesterday than last Saturday when it made its first landfall over Cagayan.

“When it first hit northern Luzon it was packing winds of 175 kph, but now it weakened and it is unlikely that it would further gain strength” Nilo told reporters.

Pepeng is expected to be off the coast of Laoag City this afternoon and at 70 kms south southwest of Laoag City by tomorrow afternoon.

By Friday afternoon, it would be at 140 kms southwest of Laoag City.

Pepeng remained stationary off South China Sea for the past two days due to its interaction with Quedan, Cruz said.

At 4 p.m. yesterday, Quedan was located some 900 kms east northeast of Basco, Batanes with maximum sustained winds of 165 kph and gustiness of up to 200 kph.

“Quedan will no longer be a threat to the country,” Nilo said.

Quedan was forecast to leave the Philippine area of responsibility last night.

Meanwhile, Nilo said Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon would not be affected by Pepeng. However, he said occasional rainshowers are still expected but not related to the storm.

“Cagayan including Babuyan and Calayan Islands, Ilocos Provinces, Apayao, Abra, Batanes, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Benguet and La Union will experience stormy weather. The rest of Northern Luzon will have rains and gusty winds with moderate to rough seas,” Cruz said.

“Central Luzon will be mostly cloudy with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms. The rest of the country will experience partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.”

Meanwhile, Nilo said a low pressure area was spotted east of the Philippines yesterday.

Nilo said it is possible that it would intensify into a tropical cyclone, but like Quedan it would not directly affect the country.

“It will follow the direction of Quedan and will not affect the country,” Nilo said.

Pepeng and Quedan are the 16th and 17th tropical cyclones, respectively, that entered the country this year.