Pagasa: 'Lawin' now a typhoon

MANILA, Philippines - Typhoon “Lawin” intensified as it moved closer to Samar island, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported yesterday.

As of 10 a.m., public storm warning signal number one was raised over the Samar provinces, meaning winds of 30 to 60 kilometers per hour could affect the area within the next 36 hours.

The center of Lawin (international name Jelawat) was spotted at 310 km east of Catarman, Northern Samar as of 4 p.m. with maximum sustained winds of 140 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 170 kph.

It was forecast to move northwest slowly at seven kph.

PAGASA administrator Nathaniel Servando, however, said the typhoon is not expected to make landfall in any part of the country.

Samar will experience rains and gusty winds, PAGASA said.

Palawan, Bicol, Mindanao and the rest of Visayas will be cloudy with moderate to heavy rains that could cause flashfloods and landslides.

Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy with brief rain showers or thunderstorms.

The typhoon is likely to bring heavy to intense rains or 10 to 20 millimeters per hour within its 600-km radius, the weather bureau said.

The southwest monsoon, which is being enhanced by Lawin, will also bring light to moderate rains over Western Visayas and Mindanao.

PAGASA advised fishing boats and other small seacraft not to venture into the eastern seaboards of Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao due to big waves spawned by the typhoon.

It also warned residents living in low-lying and mountainous areas under public storm warning signal no. 1 against possible flashfloods and landslides.

Lawin was forecast to be 290 km east of Virac, Catanduanes this afternoon; 310 km northeast of Virac tomorrow afternoon; and 350 km east of Tuguegarao City by Wednesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, PAGASA said four major dams in Luzon continued to release water as of 3 p.m. yesterday.

The dams in Angat and Ipo in Bulacan and Binga in Benguet and Magat in Isabela have opened one gate each.

The Philippine Coast Guard said close to 4,000 passengers remained stranded in different ports in Bicol, Samar and Leyte.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said said 233 rolling cargoes were stranded due to bad weather in Matnog port in Sorsogon, Balwarteco port and Dapdap ni Allen, Northern Samar.

There were also passengers stranded in the ports of Maasin, Bato, Liloan, San Ricardo, Pilar and Bulan in Sorsogon.

NDRRMC reminded fishing boats and other small seacraft to avoid venturing out into the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao due to big waves.

The NDRRMC Operations Center remains on red alert to ensure enough manpower in the event of an emergency.

Disaster management units in Cagayan, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Metro Manila, Cordillera and Caraga have alerted residents in low-lying areas and mountainous slopes against possible floods and landslides.

The Philippine National Police Regional Office in Southern Luzon, the Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command and the Bureau of Fire Protection Southern Luzon are now on standby for possible evacuation operations. Helen Flores, Alexis Romero