MANILA, Philippines — At least 39 areas were placed under signal number one Thursday afternoon as Typhoon Ompong (international name: Mangkhut) inches closer toward the Philippine landmass.
State weather bureau PAGASA said “Ompong” continues to threaten northern Luzon as it moves westward at a slightly faster pace of 25 kilometers per hour.
At 4 p.m., the typhoon was located 560 kilometers northeast of Borongan City, Eastern Samar with maximum sustained winds of 205 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 255 kilometers per hour.
The areas placed under signal number one were:
- Batanes
- Cagayan including Babuyan group of Islands
- Apayao
- Abra
- Kalinga
- Mountain Province
- Ifugao
- Isabela
- Benguet
- Pangasinan
- La Union
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
- Quirino
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Aurora
- Pampanga
- Bataan
- Zambales
- Tarlac
- Nueva Ecija
- Bulacan
- Rizal
- Metro Manila
- Cavite
- Batangas
- Laguna
- Quezon including Polillo Island
- Northern Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island
- Northern Oriental Mindoro
- Masbate
- Marinduque
- Camarines Norte
- Camarines Sur
- Catanduanes
- Albay
- Sorsogon
- Burias and Ticao island
- Northern Samar
Residents of these areas will experience occasional rains and gusty winds.
PAGASA advised fisherfolks and those with small sea vessels not to venture out over the seaboard of areas under signal number one, the northern seaboard of Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Visayas and Mindanao.
Moderate to occasionally heavy rains will affect Palawan, Zamboanga Peninsula and the Visayas starting Friday due to the southwest monsoon.
“Ompong” is expected to make landfall in Cagayan-Isabela area early Saturday morning.
Forecast positions
- Friday afternoon: 360 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora
- Saturday afternoon: 75 kilometers west of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte
- Sunday afternoon: 680 kilometers west-northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte
- Monday afternoon 1,365 kilometers west-northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte
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