Typhoon “Emong” (international name: Chan – Hom) dumped heavy rains in Northern and Central Luzon Thursday even as authorities warned that it could become a supertyphoon in a matter of hours. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) raised Public Storm Signal No. 3 over 13 provinces in Northern Luzon late Thursday afternoon as the slow-moving “Emong” gained strength. It was expected to make landfall in Pangasinan or La Union on Thursday night. Public Storm Signal No. 3 was raised over the provinces of Pangasinan, Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Vizcaya, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Benguet, Ifugao, Mt. Province, Kalinga, Apayao, Abra and Ilocos Norte as of 5 P.M. Thursday. Pagasa also raised Public Storm Signal No. 2 over Bataan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Aurora, Quirino, Isabela, Cagayan, including Babuyan Group of Islands, and the Batanes Group of Islands. Storm Signal No. 1 was up over Metro Manila, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, including Lubang Island and Calamian Group of Islands, Cavite, and Northern Quezon. At 5 P.M. Thursday, “Emong” was packing winds of 150 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 185 kph. Pagasa administrator Dr. Prisco Nilo said there is a possibility that “Emong” will further intensify into a supertyphoon within the 24-hour period. A typhoon is categorized as a supertyphoon if its maximum wind speed reaches 215 kph. The typhoon was estimated at 110 kms northwest of Iba, Zambales or at 130 kms west of Dagupan City, Pangasinan and moving east-northeast at 19 kph. “Emong” entered the country late Wednesday night as a tropical storm and intensified into a typhoon early Thursday morning. Pagasa weather branch chief Nathaniel Cruz advised residents of Northern, Central and Southern Luzon, including Metro Manila, to prepare for a more stormy weather as the typhoon crosses over Luzon.Cruz said the weather was expected to be critical Thursday night until Friday. He said “Emong” is expected to exit the Philippines by Saturday afternoon. Improved weather condition is expected by Sunday as the country celebrates Mother's Day, he added. He said the Visayas and Mindanao will have mostly good weather during the weekend except for some isolated rains and will not be affected by the typhoon. “Emong” is the fifth tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines this year and the first typhoon to make landfall. The Philippines is frequented by an average of 19 to 20 tropical cyclones annually because of its geographic location within the “Typhoon Belt” in the Pacific. Nilo said one more tropical cyclone may enter the Philippines this month. “Emong” forced President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to cancel her scheduled visit to Surigao del Norte province to attend the opening of an international game fishing tournament in the scenic island of Siargao. Arroyo was supposed to be the keynote speaker at the 2nd International Game Fishing Tournament, where 100 anglers from nine countries are competing, as part of her efforts to promote tourism.
