‘Ompong’ slightly speeds up; Signal No. 3 raised in 12 areas

MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Ompong (international name: Mangkhut) has slightly gained speed as it continues to pose threat to Northern Luzon, state weather bureau PAGASA said Friday afternoon.

“Ompong” is now moving west northwest at 25 kilometers per hour from the previous 20 kilometers per hour as it inches closer to the Cagayan-Isabela area, which is expected to bear the brunt of the typhoon by early Saturday morning.

Residents of Cagayan and Isabela may experience up to six meters (above mean sea level) of storm surge, PAGASA warned. 

Tropical cyclone warning signals have been raised in the following areas:

Signal No. 3 (Winds of 100 to 185 kilometers per hour in at least 18 hours)

• Cagayan, including Babuyan Group of Islands
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• Apayao
• Abra
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino
• Northern Aurora
• Isabela

Signal No. 2 (Winds of 60 to 100 kilometers per hour in at least 24 hours)

• Batanes
• La Union
• Benguet
• Pangasinan
• Tarlac
• Nueva Ecija
• Southern Aurora
• Northern Zambales

Signal No. 1 (Winds of 30 to 60 kilometers per hour in at least 36 hours)

• Southern Zambales
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Bataan
• Rizal
• Metro Manila
• Cavite
• Batangas
• Laguna
• Quezon including Polillo Islands
• Northern Occidental Mindoro, including Lubang Islands
• Northern Oriental Mindoro
• Masbate
• Marinduque
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Catanduanes
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Burias and Ticao Islands
• Northern Samar

The typhoon—the strongest to hit the country this year—was last seen 470 kilometers east of Baler Aurora carrying maximum sustained winds of 205 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 255 kilometers per hour. 

National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council spokesperson Edgar Posadas said that the number of individuals that will be affected by the typhoon increased to 5.2 million Friday from 4.2 million Thursday.

Evacuation is underway in some areas in the path of "Ompong."

"Ompong" combined with the seasonal southwest monsoon will also bring gusty winds with occasional moderate to heavy rains over Visayas, while scattered light to moderate to at times heavy rains over Palawan, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao and Caraga. 

Forecast position

• Saturday morning: In the vicinity of Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte (after making landfall in Cagayan)
• Sunday morning: 625 km West Northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte (OUTSIDE PAR)
• Monday morning: 1,285 km West Northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte (OUTSIDE PAR)