North Luzon residents brace for stormy weekend

They may still be reeling from the effects of Typhoon “Pedring,” but residents of extreme northern Luzon are in for a potentially stormy weekend.

Tropical Storm “Quiel” (international name: Nalgae) is forecast to hit land between Batanes and Cagayan provinces on Sunday night at its current speed and direction, and can intensify into a typhoon over the sea before landfall, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.

Now classified as a severe storm, Quiel is packing maximum winds of 110 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 140 kph, forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said Thursday in an interview.

But Quiel’s impact on extreme northern Luzon will not be felt until it swirls close to Cagayan on Sunday morning, he said.

MTSAT-EIR Satellite Image for 1 a.m., 30 September 2011

“Extreme northern Luzon, including Cagayan, Batanes and Ilocos Norte, should brace for moderate to heavy rain with gusty winds,” Aurelio said.
He said Quiel was “destructive” and packed “a stronger punch” because its 300-km diameter was more compact than  Pedring’s 650-km diameter.
This early, Pagasa said, residents of the cited areas should pack provisions in a bag. It also said that those living close to areas prone to landslides and floods should move to safer ground, and that local government units should implement contingency measures.


Full Story:  Inquirer News

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