MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Ompong (international name Mangkhut) struck northern Luzon early Saturday morning, unleashing intense winds and torrential rains after it made a landfall in Baggao, Cagayan at 1:40 a.m.
In the 5 a.m. weather bulletin, PAGASA said "Ompong" is now in the vicinity of Baggao, Cagayan, heading towards Apayao and Ilocos Norte.
The state weather bureau said the typhoon slightly weakened. It has sustained winds of 200 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 330 kilometers per hour.
"Ompong" continues to move west northwest at 35 kilometers per hour.
The massive storm, which forecasters have called the strongest typhoon this year, is not a super typhoon under PAGASA's classification.
Tropical cyclone warning signals have been raised in the following areas:
Signal No. 4 (Winds of 171 to 220 kph within 12 hours)
- Cagayan, including Babuyan Group of Islands
- northern part of Isabela
- Apayao
- Abra
- Ilocos Norte
- Kalinga
Signal No. 3 (Winds of 121 to 170 kph within 18 hours)
- Batanes
- southern part of Isabela
- Ilocos Sur
- La Union
- Mountain Province
- Benguet
- Ifugao
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Quirino
- northern part of Aurora
Signal No. 2 (Winds of 61 to 120 kph within 24 hours)
- Pangasinan
- Tarlac
- Nueva Ecija
- southern part of Aurora
- Zambales
- Pampanga
- Bulacan
- northern part of Quezon, including Polillo Island
Signal No. 1 (Winds of 30 to 60 kph within 36 hours)
- Bataan
- Rizal
- Metro Manila
- Cavite
- Batangas
- Laguna
- southern part of Quezon
- Lubang Island
- Marinduque
- Camarines Norte
"Ompong" will boost southwest monsoon or habagat, which will bring gusty winds with occasional moderate to heavy rains over Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, ARMM and the rest of MIMAROPA and Bicol Region. Scattered light to moderate to at times heavy rains are expected over Eastern and Central Visayas.
Residents in the areas are advised "to take appropriate actions against possible flooding and landslides, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and to continue monitoring for updates."
"Ompong” is expected to bring storm surge of up to six meters in Cagayan and Ilocos Norte, three meters in Isabela and two meters in Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan.
PAGASA advised fisherfolks and those with small seacrafts not to venture out over the seaboards of areas under tropical cyclone warning signals, seaboards of Luzon and of Visayas and northern and western seaboards of Mindanao.
Evacuations and class suspensions have been ordered by the government ahead of" Ompong" which is expected to affect over 5 million Filipinos.
Cabinet secretaries have been ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte to go to the areas that are expected to be worst hit by Ompong so they can directly oversee emergency response.
Forecast position
- Sunday morning: 580 kilometers west of Basco, Batanes (outside PAR)
- Monday morning: 1,220 kilometers west of Basco, Batanes (outside PAR)
- Tuesday morning: 1,770 kilometers west of Basco, Batanes (outside PAR)