Typhoon ‘Luis’ makes landfall in Cagayan-Isabela Area — PAGASA

MANILA — Typhoon “Luis” has maintain its strength and made landfall in the vicinity of Cagayan-Isabela area, the state weather bureau said on Sunday.

In an interview, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) weather forecaster Manny Mendoza said that around 5 p.m. typhoon Luis made landfall in the boundary of Cagayan-Isabela area.

Mendoza said that as of 4 p.m. the eye of typhoon Luis was located at 115 km East of Tuguegarao (17.5N, 122.8E) packed with maximum 130 kilometer per hour (kph) and its gustiness ofm160 kph.

He added the typhoon continues to move west northwest and accelerate its speed from 20 kph to 22 kph.< p>Mendoza said with maintaining its speed and movement, the typhoon is expected to be out of Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Tuesday afternoon headed towards Vietnam or Southern China.

He said typhoon Luis is forecast to be at 288 Km West of Laoag City by Monday afternoon and by Tuesday afternoon is expected to be at 860 km West Northwest of Laoag City or outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

Mendoza said that they still raised public storm warning signal No. 3 (winds of 101-185 kilometers per hour (kph) in at least 18 hrs) over the provinces of Cagayan including Babuyan and Calayan Group of Islands, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Abra, Kalinga, Isabela, Mt. Province, Ilocos Sur and Ifugao.

Meanwhile, the areas placed under public storm warning signal No. 2 (61-100 kph winds are expected in at least 24 hrs) are Batanes Group of Islands, La Union, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Aurora, Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija.

Public storm warning signal No. 1 (30-60 kph winds is expected in at least 36 hours), on the other hand, is hoisted over Tarlac, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Northern Quezon and Pollilo Island.

PAGASA said residents in low-lying and mountainous areas under signal #3 #2 & #1 are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides. Likewise, those living in coastal areas under signal #3 and #2 are alerted against storm surges of up to two meters.

It added the estimated rainfall amount is from 8 – 20 mm per hour (heavy – Intense) within the 500 km diameter of the Typhoon.

With the combined effect of the typhoon and the southwest monsoon will bring rainy weather in most parts of the country including Metro Manila until Monday.

The rest of Luzon and Western Visayas will have monsoon rains with moderate to strong southwesterly surface windflow due to the Southwest Monsoon, he said.

Mendoza also said the state weather bureau issued gale warning as strong to gale force winds associated with the surge of Southwest Monsoon enhanced by Typhoon “Luis” is expected to affect the eastern and southern seaboards of Southern Luzon, western seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon, western and central seaboards of Visayas and the eastern seaboard of Visayas.

The fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger vessels are alerted against big waves,” PAGASA warned.