25 Dec 2019 / Philippines
Typhoon Ursula (international name Phanfone) intensified as it crossed Jintotolo Channel north of Iloilo early Wednesday morning (25 December), Philippines state weather bureau PAGASA said.
The storm is packing maximum sustained winds of up to 140 km per hour near the centre with gusts of up to 195 km per hour. Its eyewall is bringing destructive winds and intense rainfall over southern Masbate, Capiz and northeastern Iloilo and is expected to affect Romblon, Aklan, and northern Antique in the coming hours.
PAGASA said a storm surge of up to 2 metres may affect coastal areas in extreme northern Cebu, Masbate, Aklan, Capiz, northern Antique, northeastern Iloilo, Romblon, Marinduque, and Mindoro Provinces, Calamian Islands, and Cuyo Islands.
The typhoon has made several landfalls over Salcedo, Eastern Samar (16:45 on Tuesday); Tacloban City, Leyte (19:30 on Tuesday); Cabucgayan, Biliran (21:15 on Tuesday); Gigantes Islands, Carles, Iloilo (02:30 today). It is forecast to be 150km northwest of Coron, Palawan by tomorrow (Thursday) morning.
PAGASA hoisted Storm Warning Signal No.3 over the following areas, where winds could uproot big trees, peel off roofs and cause "moderate to heavy damage to exposed communities": Masbate, Ticao Island, Romblon, southern Oriental Mindoro, southern Occidental Mindoro, extreme northern Cebu, Bantayan Islands, Capiz, Aklan, northern Antique and northern Iloilo.
Storm Warning Signal No.2 was raised over the following areas, where winds between 61 kph and 120 kph may bring "light to moderate" damage: southern Quezon, Marinduque, the rest of Oriental Mindoro, the rest of Occidental Mindoro, Lubang Island, Albay, Sorsogon, Burias Island, Calamian and Cuyo Islands, Biliran, northwestern Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, the rest of northern Cebu, Camotes Islands, central Cebu, the rest of Iloilo, the rest of Antique, Guimaras and northern Negros Occidental
Some 16,600 passengers were stuck in ports in Metro Manila, Southern Luzon, Bicol Region and Visayas after sea trips were canceled due to the bad weather, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.
Several flights scheduled to depart on 24 & 25 December were either canceled or rescheduled due to Typhoon Ursula.
If it continues on its current track, Ursula is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility between Friday night and Saturday morning.
For information about operations in the Philippines, contact GAC Philippines at [email protected]
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