Signal No. 3 as Ineng brings heavy rains over Luzon

MANILA, Philippines - Areas in extreme Northern Luzon will continue to experience stormy weather until the weekend as Typhoon Ineng (international name Goni) inches closer to Batanes, state meteorologists warned yesterday.

Glaiza Escullar, weather forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said the eye of Ineng was expected to move closest to extreme Northern Luzon this afternoon, bringing heavy rains and gusty winds.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Ineng was located at 310 kilometers east of Calayan, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 170 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 205 kph.

It was forecast to move west northwest at 11 kph and was expected to be at 50 km east southeast of Basco, Batanes this afternoon.

As of 5 p.m. yesterday, signal No. 3 was raised over the Batanes Group of Islands and Northern Cagayan, including Babuyan and Calayan Group of Islands, while signal No. 2 was hoisted over the rest of Cagayan, northern Isabela, Apayao and Ilocos Norte.

Under signal No. 1 were the rest of Isabela, northern Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Benguet, La Union and Ilocos Sur.

Escullar said rains associated with the southwest monsoon – which was being enhanced by Ineng – reached Metro Manila, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Bicol region and Western Visayas yesterday.

PAGASA weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said moderate to heavy rains would persist over extreme Northern Luzon until tomorrow.

The rest of Northern and Central Luzon, particularly Ilocos region, La Union, Bataan and Zambales, would experience moderate to heavy rains due to Ineng.

Southern Luzon, including Metro Manila, and the Visayas would have light to moderate rains due to the enhanced southwest monsoon.

Aurelio said the typhoon is expected to dump intense rains over Northern and Central Luzon on Sunday, as it moves away from the country.

He also warned residents in areas under storm warning signals against possible flashfloods and landslides.

 He alerted those living along coastal areas in provinces under signal Nos. 2 and 3 against possible storm surges that could reach as high as 2.5 meters.

He also advised fisherfolk not to venture out to the eastern and southern seaboards of Luzon and Samar provinces due to big waves generated by the typhoon.

Ineng was expected to move slowly over the sea within the next 48 hours. It was forecast to veer north towards Taiwan in the next few days.

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director Alexander Pama said a total of 33 provinces or 231 municipalities will be prone to floods and landslides due to Ineng.

The information was based on the forecast models of PAGASA, which include the volume of rain and expected amount of rainfall, said Pama.

 He clarified, however, that the number of vulnerable provinces could change depending on the movement and intensity of the typhoon. – With Christina Mendez, Edith Regalado