Santi's path

Weather forecasters said Typhoon “Santi” could bring heavy rains and very strong winds that can topple billboards across Metro Manila and neighboring provinces Saturday, just like what Typhoon “Milenyo” did to the National Capital Region in September 2006.

Nathaniel Cruz, director of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said Santi was expected to make landfall in Quezon province at around 9 to 11 p.m. last night.

“This will be an intense typhoon. It would be like 'Milenyo.' We should be prepared,” Cruz told a press briefing at the PAGASA Weather Forecasting Building on Agham Road, Quezon City Friday.

Two years ago, the unusually strong winds brought by Milenyo uprooted trees, toppled giant billboards and disrupted electric and communications lines which killed and injured several people. It also interrupted power services for a few weeks.

As of 1 p.m. Friday, Cruz said the eye of Santi was 240 kilometers east of Infanta, Quezon, maintaining maximum sustained winds of 150 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 180 kph in a westward movement at 28 kph.

Should the “well-behaved” typhoon maintains its fast pace in the next 24 hours, Santi would be 280 kilometers west southwest of Metro Manila this morning.

Its six-hour passage would bring it over Southern Tagalog provinces like Quezon, Laguna, Batangas, and Cavite while dumping 15 to 20 mm of rainfall across Central and Southern Luzon per hour until noon Saturday.

PAGASA administrator Prisco Nilo said Santi could dump an accumulated amount of 90 mm rainfall for six hours, enough to inundate low-lying areas in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces under three inches of floodwaters.

Nilo said the upgraded Doppler radar which was installed in Baler, Aurora last June, has detected a significant change in the track of Santi which could get it to as near as 40 kilometers south of Metro Manila Saturday.

PAGASA hoisted Storm Signal No. 3 over the entire Quezon province including Polilio Islands, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes, where winds of 100 to 185 kph will prevail in the next 18 hours.

Storm Signal No. 2 was raised over Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Tarlac, Zambales, Pampanga, Bataan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Lubang Island, Oriental Mindoro, Marindque, Albay including Burias Island, and Metro Manila.

Winds with strength of 60 to 100 kph will prevail over areas under Storm Signal No. 2 that could cause moderate damage to agriculture.

PAGASA also raised Storm Signal No.1 over Isabela, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, Sorsogon, Occidental Mindoro and Calamian groups of islands that are expected to be covered by the typhoon's wide 600-kilometer diameter.

Nilo, however, noted that gradual improvement of weather conditions could be felt in the affected areas as Santi was expected to reach the South China Sea by Saturday afternoon.

President Arroyo has ordered the preemptive evacuation of people on the path of Santi, saying those living in danger areas in Luzon should go to safer grounds.

“Dahil sa paparating na bagyo na Santi, pinapayuhan ko ang ating mga kababayan na madadaanan ng bagyo na lumikas na sa mas ligtas na lugar lalo na kung hindi kayo nakakatiyak ng husto sa tibay ng pagkagawa ng inyong pamamahay,” she said.

“Malakas po ang mga hangin na dala nitong bagyo at dapat na tayong gumawa ng karampatang pag-iingat,” she added.

The President issued the directive after she held discussions on climate change and solid waste management with local executives in Guagua, Pampanga.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said he hopes the people will heed the President’s directive.

“Huwag na natin hintayin na lalakas pa ang hangin, babaha pa bago tayo magsilikas. Prevention is always better than a pound of cure,” Remonde told reporters in the Palace.