A typhoon threatening to enter the Philippine area of responsibility this weekend could follow the same path of two deadly and destructive typhoons in 2004 and 2006, the weather bureau said Friday.
READ: Storm ‘Kammuri’ threatens PAR
Chris Perez, weather specialist of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration raised the alarm that Typhoon “Kammuri” could enter the country between Saturday evening and Sunday morning, just as the 30th Southeast Asian Games get underway.
The opening ceremony of the SEA Games is set on Nov. 30 at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
Once it enters the PAR, the typhoon will be named “Tisoy,” the 20th typhoon in 2019, the weather bureau said.
Perez likened “Tisoy” to Typhoons “Glenda” and “Reming” that battered the country on July 13 to July 17, 2004 and on Nov. 28 to Dec. 3, 2006, respectively.
In a statement, PAGASA disputed social media posts that “Kammuri” would become a super typhoon, but said it could steadily intensify before making landfall in southern Luzon.
At a media briefing, Perez said “Glenda” intensified after making landfall, resulting in 106 deaths, 1,250 injuries, five missing persons and damage to property reaching P38.616 billion.
He said “Tisoy,” once inside the PAR, would have “almost the same track” as of Glenda and Reming.
“Tisoy” is forecast to affect Bicol region; Northern, Southern and Central Luzon, including Metro Manila, and Eastern, Central and Western Visayas during the same period when Reming entered the PAR and made landfall.
He said the disaster risk reduction and management councils and local government units could use the “historical record” of “Glenda” and “Reming” as the basis for their preparations when ‘Tisoy” is already inside the PAR.
READ: Cloudy skies, generally fair
“They can double-check if there has been a change in their urban or rural setting, and identify areas prone to landslides and floods and those places that were severely affected by the two previous typhoons,” he added.
As of 11 a.m. Friday, “Kammuri” was spotted at 1,470 kilometers east of Southern Luzon.
Packing maximum sustained winds of 140 kms per hour near the center and gusts of 170 kph gusts, it was moving west at 25 kph.
SEA Games organizers said they would carry out contingency plans, particularly for outdoor events.
“Our games security and safety directorate have ready contingency plans but now we will put it into operational mode,” Tom Carrasco, executive director of Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.
Carrasco also ruled out an extension of the Games, despite the expected bad weather.
The Manila Electric Co., meanwhile, said it is prepared to declare a general state of alert and was making preparations to immediately respond to outages that might be caused by the incoming typhoon.
“As a 24–hour service company, we are committed to respond to these types of emergency. Our crews are on standby to attend to any trouble that may affect our facilities in areas that might be hit by the typhoon,” Meralco assistant vice president Joe Zaldarriaga said.
The company has issued advisories on the appropriate precautionary measures to take before a typhoon.
“Meralco, for instance, has consistently requested billboard owners and operators to temporarily roll their billboards up to prevent these structures from being toppled by the strong winds,” Zaldarriaga said.
Billboards that fall into electrical facilities are among the main reasons for power outages whenever there are strong typhoons.
