MANILA, Philippines – After making landfall at 1:40 a.m. in Baggao, Cagayan early Saturday morning, Typhoon "Ompong" (international name: Mangkhut) has not weakened, state weather agency PAGASA said.
The 900 km-wide Ompong continues to pack maximum sustained winds of up to 205 kph but has stronger gustiness of up to 285 kph.
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It is moving faster at a speed of 35 kph west northwest after it made landfall.
The eye of Ompong is expected to traverse the provinces of Cagayan, Apayo, and Ilocos Norte before exiting Luzon landmass and then go towards the West Philippine Sea Saturday evening.
READ: Typhoon 'Ompong' slams into Luzon at full strength
In an earlier press briefing, Department of Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato Dela Pena said that Ompong "is not losing strength."
Typhoons usually lose strength when nearing land as well as when encountering the Sierra Madre mountain range of Luzon.
READ: Stunning but scary: Typhoon Ompong as seen from space
PAGASA weather specialist Loriedin Dela Cruz also said that "even before the 900 km-wide Typhoon 'Ompong' makes landfall, our country is already experiencing the strong winds and rains particularly in northern Luzon,"
READ: Philippines starts evacuations along coast as super typhoon nears
Storm warning signals have been raised in the following areas:
Signal No. 4 (Winds of 171 to 220 kph within 12 hours)
- Ilocos Norte
- Cagayan
- Northern Isabela
- Apayao
- Abra
- Kalinga
- Babuyan Group of Islands
Signal No. 3 (Winds of 121 to 170 kph within 18 hours)
- Batanes
- Southern Isabela
- Ilocos Sur
- La Union
- Mountain Province
- Benguet
- Ifugao
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Quirino
- Northern Aurora
Signal No. 2 (Winds of 61 to 120 kph within 24 hours)
- Pangasinan
- Tarlac
- Nueva Ecija
- Southern Aurora
- Zambales
- Pampanga
- Bulacan
- Northern Quezon including Polillo Island
Signal No. 1 (Winds of 30 to 60 kph within 36 hours)
- Bataan
- Rizal
- Metro Manila
- Cavite
- Batangas
- Laguna
- Rest of Quezon
- Lubang Island
- Marinduque
- Camarines Norte
- Camarines Sur
- Catanduanes
- Albay
- Burias Island
According to PAGASA, Ompong is the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2018.
READ: Powerful, rotating thunderstorms surround 'Ompong' — NASA
The government has ordered evacuations and class suspensions as over 5 million people are expected to be affected by Ompong.
The US Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) has classified Ompong as a Super Typhoon Mangkhut on September 11, Tuesday, even before it entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday.
READ: ‘Ompong’ to affect 5.2 million people – NDRRMC