Manila feels 'Hagupit' Monday
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The Philippines Daily Inquirer - Metro Manila will have stormy weather on Monday as Typhoon Hagupit, known locally as Ruby, lashes Southern Luzon after whipping the Eastern Visayas and Bicol regions over the weekend.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) raised Public Storm Signal No. 2 over Metro Manila Sunday, warning of occasional rains and gusty winds of 61-100 kilometres per hour within 24 hours.
Classes are suspended at all levels throughout the metropolis, with school buildings in riverine communities marked for use as evacuation centers in case of flooding.
Pagasa said Metro Manila and surrounding provinces began to feel the effects of Hagupit late Sunday.
While Hagupit maintained its strength, with winds of up to 140 kilometres per hour, gusts of up to 170 kph, torrential rains and storm surges up to 3 meters high, it also slowed down, crossing the country’s central section and moving toward the West Philippine Sea at just 10 kph.
“The longer the typhoon stays, the more destruction it causes,” Jori Luiz, senior weather forecaster for Pagasa, said.
Ruby moved so slowly that it remained in the vicinity of the island province of Masbate throughout Sunday after making a landfall there at 9 a.m., Pagasa said.
By Monday afternoon, it said the center of the storm would be 70 km east of Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro province, or 160 km west of Quezon City, so Metro Manila and surrounding provinces would have heavy rains and strong winds.
By Tuesday afternoon, Ruby will be farther away from the Luzon landmass, with its eye at 170 km southwest of Quezon City.
Pagasa said Hagupit was expected to clear the Philippine area of responsibility on Thursday.
