Santi exits Phl; new typhoon spotted

MANILA, Philippines - A new typhoon was expected to enter the country as Typhoon Santi left the Philippine area of responsibility yesterday morning after pounding parts of Luzon over the weekend, killing 13 people.

The new typhoon with international name Wipha will be named Tino once it enters the country, said Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)’s weather division chief Robert Sawi.

As of 4 p. m. yesterday, the eye of Wipha was spotted at 1,340 kilometers east of northern Luzon.

Wipha packed winds of 150 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph.

Sawi said the typhoon is moving northwest towards southern Japan at 15 kph.

He said Wipha is not expected to make landfall but it will pass near the country’s northeastern coastline and is forecast to exit the country this afternoon.

Sawi said Luzon and the Visayas will have partly cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms particularly in the afternoon or evening in the next three to five days. Strong winds may affect northern Luzon in the next three to five days.

Mindanao, on the other hand, will have good weather apart from passing showers.

A gale warning remained in effect over the western seaboard of southern Luzon and seaboards of northern Luzon as of yesterday noon due to strong winds generated by Santi.

PAGASA said rough seas will continue to affect Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Mindoro Occidental and western coast of Batangas, Palawan, Batanes, Babuyan, Calayan, northern coasts of Cagayan and Ilocos provinces, La Union, Pangasinan and western coast of Ilocos Norte.

“Fishing boats and other small sea crafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves,” it said.

As of 10 a.m. yesterday, the eye of Santi was at 550 km west of Iba, Zambales with maximum sustained winds of 130 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 160 kph. It was forecast to move west towards Vietnam at 19 kph.