Signal No. 3 up in 4 areas

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) raised yesterday storm warning signal no. 3 over the Batanes group of islands, Cagayan including Calayan, and the Babuyan Islands, as typhoon “Ramil” continued to move closer to northern Luzon.

Signal no. 2 was raised over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Isabela, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet and La Union.

Placed under storm signal no. 1 were the provinces of Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Aurora, and northern Quezon (including Polillo Islands), Nueva Ecija, Tarlac and Zambales.

Pagasa administrator Prisco Nilo said Ramil was forecast to make landfall over Cagayan province tonight or tomorrow morning.

As of 5 p.m. yesterday, the eye of Ramil was spotted some 455 kilometers east northeast of Aparri, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour near center and gustiness of up to 210 kph.

Ramil was expected to move west southwest at 15 kph.

Nilo advised residents to seek safer places since the typhoon is likely to bring torrential rains over northern Luzon provinces that could trigger flash floods and landslides.

He also warned residents in the eastern coast of northern and central Luzon against storm surge.

Nilo said Ramil’s maximum sustained winds weakened from 195 kph on Tuesday to 175 kph yesterday due to a high pressure area off Hong Kong.

Nilo said a “vertical wind shear” prevented Ramil from intensifying. He said wind shear means “different direction of wind.”

He said the typhoon could still gain strength before hitting land.

Nilo said the northern part of central Luzon could also experience stormy weather during the landfall of Ramil.

Metro Manila, on the other hand, would experience only “minimal effect” of the typhoon.

“Metro Manila will also experience rain showers and occasional gusty winds during the passage of Ramil in northern Luzon,” he said.

He however said storm signal no. 1 might be raised over Metro Manila on Friday as the typhoon hovers over northern Luzon.

Nilo said Ramil would pass northern Luzon areas for about 12 hours, bringing heavy rains and strong winds.

“There is a possibility of flooding due to heavy rains,” Nilo said.

Ramil is predicted to be at 130 km east of Aparri, Cagayan or at 230 km east northeast of Laoag City this afternoon.

It would be in the vicinity of Laoag City tomorrow afternoon and at 165 km west of Laoag City by Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Pagasa deputy administrator Nathaniel Cruz said southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao would experience scattered rain showers and thunderstorms in the next 24 hours due to an intertropical convergence zone.

Ramil is the 18th tropical cyclone to enter the country this year and the third weather disturbance this month.