Typhoon Ineng brings heavy rain

MANILA, Philippines - Typhoon Ineng (international name Goni) entered the Philippine area of responsibility yesterday and is expected to dump moderate to heavy rains over Northern Luzon beginning tomorrow, the state weather bureau said.

Chris Perez, weather forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said Ineng was located at 1,305 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan as of 4 p.m. yesterday.

Ineng – the ninth tropical cyclone to enter the country this year and the second weather disturbance in August – was packing winds of 170 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 205 kph.

It was forecast to move west-northwest at 25 kph.

Perez said they were looking at two scenarios for Ineng. He said there is a possibility that it would make landfall over Batanes on Friday or veer to the north and hit Taiwan instead.

Perez said even if it would not hit Philippine landmass, Northern Luzon areas, specifically Apayao, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte and Batanes, would still feel the direct effect of the typhoon.

He said Ineng also started enhancing the southwest monsoon, which was bringing rains over Palawan and the Visayas yesterday.

The enhanced southwest monsoon would also bring light to moderate rains over the western section of Luzon, including Metro Manila, beginning tomorrow until Tuesday next week, Perez said.

Ineng was forecast to exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, PAGASA said there is still a slim chance that the other typhoon with international name Atsani would enter the country.

As of yesterday afternoon, Atsani was spotted at 3,800 km east of Luzon and was expected to move toward Japan, Perez said.

NRRMC on blue alert

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) was placed on blue alert yesterday in preparation for Ineng.

NDRRMC executive director Alexander Pama said the alert level took effect at 6 p.m. A blue alert places half of the personnel in the operation center on standby.

“Member agencies are now reporting here in the operations center and we are now working 24/7 to monitor the weather situation,” Pama said.

Regional disaster management units have been ordered to come up with contingency measures. – With Alexis Romero