State of calamity and Typhoon Pepeng weather update

Note: as of 5 p.m. PAGASA said Pepeng has slowed down, but could still threaten Central Luzon.

Work in our government office was suspended before 4 p.m. today to be able to give us ample time to return home, in preparation for the coming of supertyphoon Pepeng (international code name: Parma). The same was true in other offices, except perhaps call centers and BPOs which deal with clients abroad. Elsewhere, evacuation has started in areas believed to be targeted by the typhoon , with maximum sutained winds of 195kph.The entire country has been placed under a state of calamity.

At 1 p.m. today (October 2), Pepeng continued to move west northwest and increased its threat to the Isabela-Aurora area.

As of 10 a.m., the eye of typhoon Pepeng was located at 180 km. east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes, with maximum sutained winds of 195 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 230 kph

It is forecast to move west northwest at 19 kph and expected to be 60 km east of Casiguran, Aurora by tomorrow morning (October 3). It is expected to make a landfall in Isabela, Aurora by mid Saturday, 80 km west of Laoag City by Saturday morning and 400 km west southwest of Basco, Batanes.

Storm signal no. 3 is up in Catanduanes

Storm signal No. 2 is now hoisted over Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quirino, Northern Quezon, Polilio Islands, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur

Storm Signal No. 1 has been placed over Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Benguet, La Union, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, tarlac, zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Southern Quezon, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Burias island and Northern Samar.

(via NDCC and PAGASA)

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Storm Ondoy brings floods to Manila and the rest of Luzon

It has been a day of nonstop rains in Manila, and elsewhere. I’ve stayed in bed all morning, with this trusty Mac on my lap – all the while staying glued to the reports of my friends on Plurk and Twitter. Something about brownouts, cancelled flights, floods reaching houses, people moving furniture, people wading in chest-deep waters, high way billboards being stripped down, and cars almost submerged in the floods. A bad day to be out, really. It’s that bad, and somebody even had to mention taking out Noah’s Ark.

Am just glad our little bungalow has been spared from nature’s fury. This is one of those times when we’re thankful to have a garage for the old car, and a cozy roof over our heads. I dread it when the post-storm accounting comes and out comes reports of our brethren drowning or are rendered homeless because they live near dikes, riverbanks, esteros, coastal areas etc. Hope not
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