Mass evacuations ahead of intensifying ‘Uwan’
Typhoon “Uwan” (international name: Fung-wong) continued to intensify as it began to move toward the Philippine Sea in the eastern portion of Bicol Region, the state weather bureau said on Saturday.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 has been raised over Catanduanes, the eastern portion of Camarines Sur, eastern portion of Albay and northeastern portions of Sorsogon and Northern Samar.
A number of provinces and cities located on the path of the storm, or were expected to experience heavy rains, have begun preemptive evacuation; classes and work have also been suspended for Sunday and Monday.
In Bicol and Negros Island Region, authorities were also keeping a close volcano watch amid fear of a heavy rain-spawned lahar flow from Mayon Volcano in Albay and from Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental.
In its 5 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Uwan’s center of the eye was last located 575 kilometers east of Catarman, Northern Samar, or 620 km east of Virac, Catanduanes.
Water release
Uwan was monitored carrying a maximum wind speed of 150 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 185 kph. It was moving west northwest at 30 kph.
Pagasa said Uwan was forecast to move west-northwest on Saturday and Sunday before moving more northwestward on Monday. Uwan’s center was seen to pass close to Catanduanes on Sunday morning and make landfall over the southern portion of Isabela or the northern portion of Aurora, on Sunday evening or on Monday early morning.
The weather bureau advised several communities near Magat, Angat, Cagayan and Agno Rivers to take precautions as the five dams in the area were conducting preemptive water release.
One gate each has been opened in Ambuklao and Binga Dams, two in Magat Dam and three each in Angat and Ipo Dams.
“Residents and the local disaster risk reduction and management councils concerned are advised to be alert for possible flash floods,” Pagasa said.
It also noted that the possibility that the projected path of Uwan could slightly shift southward, “which may result in a direct hit (i.e., eyewall affecting the area without making landfall) or a landfall over Catanduanes.”
“Uwan is forecast to rapidly intensify and may reach supertyphoon category tonight or tomorrow, although the potential for a much faster intensification is not ruled out due to favorable environment,” Pagasa added.
Signal No. 1, 2
Signal No. 2 was raised over the eastern portion of mainland Cagayan; Isabela; Quirino; Nueva Vizcaya; Aurora; Nueva Ecija; Bulacan; Metro Manila; Rizal; Laguna; Quezon; Marinduque; Camarines Norte; the rest of Camarines Sur, Albay and Sorsogon; Burias Island; Ticao Island; Northern Samar; and the northern portions of Samar and Eastern Samar.
Signal No. 1 was up in Batanes; the rest of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands; Apayao; Abra; Kalinga; Mountain Province; Ifugao; Benguet; Ilocos Norte; Ilocos Sur; La Union; Pangasinan; Tarlac; Pampanga; Zambales; Bataan; Cavite; Batangas; the rest of Masbate; Romblon; Oriental Mindoro; Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands; Calamian Islands; Cuyo Islands;
The rest of Samar and Eastern Samar; Biliran; Leyte; Southern Leyte; Bohol; northern and central portions of Cebu, including Bantayan and Camotes Islands; northern portions of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental; Guimaras; Iloilo; Capiz; Aklan; Antique; Dinagat Islands; Surigao del Norte; and the northern portions of Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Sur.
Volcano watch
Meanwhile, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warned that loose material from remnant pyroclastic deposits of the 2018 and 2023 Mayon eruptions could be eroded by the expected 400 millimeter rains and cause lahar flow in rivers and drainage areas of the volcano.
Phivolcs said the bulk of erodible deposits occupy the watershed areas of slopes in Legazpi City, and the towns of Camalig and Daraga.
In the past months, heavy rains triggered lahar flow that affected the villages of Masarawag and Maninila in Guinobatan town.
Streamflows triggered by Uwan could also threaten several communities in the towns of Guinobatan, Camalig and Sto. Domingo, Phivolcs said.
In Batanes, about 80 tourists were stranded due to cancellations of flights between the capital, Basco, and Metro Manila. Flights in and out of key airports in the Ilocos and Cagayan Valley regions were also suspended on Saturday. —REPORTS FROM DIANNE SAMPANG, MA. APRIL MIER-MANJARES, VILLAMOR VISAYA JR., CARLA P. GOMEZ, YOLANDA SOTELO, TONETTE OREJAS, JOEY GABIETA AND PNA
