TYPHOON SAUDEL may enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) as a super typhoon on Monday, while a separate tropical depression near the country’s eastern boundary could also enter the country’s monitoring area, the state weather bureau said.
Depending on the movement and intensity of the system, it may enter PAR by Monday morning or afternoon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Sunday.
At 10 a.m. on Sunday, Saudel was estimated at 2,085 kilometers east of Extreme Northern Luzon, packing maximum sustained winds of 165 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 205 kph as it moved west northwestward at 25 kph.
PAGASA said the typhoon was expected to remain far from the Philippine landmass. However, it may enhance the southwest monsoon toward next weekend, bringing increased rainfall over the western section of Luzon, including Metro Manila.
The weather bureau warned that the enhanced monsoon could raise the risk of flooding and landslides in affected areas.
Meanwhile, PAGASA has not ruled out the possibility of a tropical depression east of Southern Luzon entering PAR.
If it enters the country’s monitoring area ahead of Saudel, it would be assigned the local name Obet. Saudel would then receive the local name Pilandok. The names would be assigned based on the order in which the systems enter PAR.
At 8 a.m. on Sunday, the tropical depression was located 1,190 kilometers east of Southeastern Luzon, near the eastern boundary of PAR.
The weather disturbance carried maximum sustained winds of 55 kph and gusts of up to 70 kph and was moving slowly north northeastward.
PAGASA said any passage through PAR would likely be brief because the tropical depression is expected to come under the influence of the much stronger Saudel.
Meanwhile, at least 29 people have died and 7.5 million have been affected by Tropical Cyclones Luis, Maymay and Neneng and the southwest monsoon, government data showed, as damage to infrastructure and agriculture reached P6.6 billion.
“Benguet recorded the highest number of deaths at 15, with 10 in Baguio, three in Atok and two in La Trinidad, all due to landslides,” the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in a report released on Sunday.
The disaster agency said 7.5 million people from 2.1 million families were affected across Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Calabarzon, the Cordillera Administrative Region, Metro Manila and Mimaropa.
Rizal recorded four deaths, including two from a rockslide in Rodriguez, one from a fallen tree in Antipolo and one from drowning in Binangonan. Batangas also recorded four deaths, including two from drowning and one each from electrocution and a landslide.
Caloocan City reported two deaths from drowning, while La Union, Quezon City, Oriental Mindoro and Negros Occidental reported one death each.
The NDRRMC also reported 19 injuries and three missing persons.
The agency said 432 evacuation centers were operating and sheltering 34,103 people from 9,872 families.
Infrastructure damage reached P4.9 billion, while agricultural losses were pegged at P1.7 billion.
Government assistance extended to affected communities reached P1.24 billion, the NDRRMC said.
A total of 89 local government units have declared a state of calamity, including the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga and Cavite, as well as Dagupan City and municipalities in Pangasinan, Benguet, Zambales, Rizal and Batangas. — Norman P. Aquino and Mark Joseph M. Sanchez