Baler: Super Typhoon Pepito (international name: Man-Yi) has maintained its strength ahead of its anticipated landfall over the vicinity of Aurora province Sunday afternoon. In its 2 p.m. severe weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported that Pepito was last observed over the coastal waters of Baler, Aurora, packing maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 230 kph. The typhoon is moving northwest at 20 kph.
According to Philippines News Agency, the powerful typhoon is forecast to make landfall in Aurora between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Sunday. After landfall, Pepito is expected to traverse the northern portion of Central Luzon and the southern portion of Northern Luzon, moving through the upland regions of the Sierra Madre, Caraballo, and Cordillera Central during the evening. PAGASA anticipates that Pepito will exit the landmass of Luzon either late Sunday night or early Monday morni
ng.
In preparation for the impending landfall, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 5 has been issued for the central portion of Aurora, including Dipaculao, Baler, Dinalungan, Maria Aurora, Casiguran, and San Luis, as well as the southern portion of Quirino (Nagtipunan) and the southern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castañeda). Under TCWS No. 5, typhoon-force winds pose an ‘extreme threat to life and property.’
TCWS No. 4 has been raised over the rest of Aurora, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, parts of Ifugao, Benguet, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Polillo Islands, and other areas. Meanwhile, TCWS No. 3 is in effect for regions including parts of Isabela, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Abra, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Quezon, and the Polillo Islands.
Further, TCWS No. 2 and TCWS No. 1 have been issued for various regions, including areas in Cagayan, Kalinga, Apayao, Abra, Ilocos Norte, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon,
Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Marinduque, Albay, Sorsogon, and Burias Island.
PAGASA has advised the public, along with disaster risk reduction and management offices, to undertake all necessary measures to safeguard life and property. Residents in identified vulnerable areas are urged to adhere to evacuation orders and other directives from local authorities.
