Pangasinan Today

Strong gusts and rains whipped Metro Manila Sunday early morning as Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that the center of Typhoon “Frank” (international codename Fengshen) passed the nation’s capital.

“As of 6 o’clock, ito po ay nasa vicinity ng Metro Manila. Medyo humina po siya but iyong mahina na iyon is still 120 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness 150 kilometers per hour. Tumatakbo po north northwest at 15 kph,” said Nathaniel Cruz, PAGASA weather forecasting division chief said in a press conference past 7 a.m.

“Typhoon ‘Frank’ passed Quezon City 6 o’clock ngayon pong umaga. Nearest to Metro Manila, napakalapit po. 20 kilometro lamang silangan at 4:30 a.m.,” said Cruz.

He said gusts of 100 kph were recorded at PAGASA-Department of Science and Technology station in Quezon City.

Cruz said however that more rains are still expected in Metro Manila due to the enhanced southwest monsoon.

“Sinabi po natin na lumagpas na po ng Metro Manila subalit hindi po dapat tayo mag-relax. Patuloy pa po tayong makakaranas ng ulan and storm surge sa coastline particularly sa Manila Bay,” said Cruz.

The weather bureau official also described the current track of the typhoon.

“Dumaan po sa Southern Tagalog provinces particularly Laguna, Batangas, Quezon and then Cavite, dumaan po ng Metro Manila patungong Central Luzon… Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Pangasinan, patungo po ng eastern part of Ilocos region…,” said Cruz. He added that the typhoon is expected to exit to the South China Sea.

Cruz also announced gale warnings of PAGASA for Western Visayas, and western and southern seaboards of Mindanao - areas where there are no public storm warning signals but will still experience bad weather.

“Patuloy na magkakaroon ng maulan na panahon, malakas na hangin at maalon na karagatan,” said Cruz.

Cruz also reported on the status of the major dams in Luzon. As of 6 a.m., he said, the major dams are below the spilling levels.

Cruz said PAGASA has issued a flood advisory for Pampanga river basin which says that “flooding is possible in the next 24 hours dito po sa Nueva Ecija kasama na po ang Tarlac, middle and lower part of Pampanga river expected to rise slowly.”

He said there would be possible flooding in the next 24 hours in the low-lying areas of Pampanga’s Candaba swamps which he said the levels may slowly rise.

The weather bureau official also said maximum rainfall recorded in Tayabas, Quezon reached 143 mm in just 6 hours