Despite the fact that forecasts suggest that the center of the storm will pass hundreds of kilometers from the north of Luzon, the most inhabited island in the Philippines, several towns in the center, south and north of the country have suspended classes Friday and Saturday as a way of prevention before the imminent arrival of the cyclone.
In its latest bulletin today, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported that Mawar was located 1,705 kilometers from the eastern part of the island of Luzon with sustained winds of up to 215 kilometers per hour, although it continues to outside the Philippine weather monitoring area.
He also indicated that the passage of the super typhoon may bring heavy rains, which could trigger flooding or landslides in the northern part of Luzon starting Sunday night, while “severe winds” and strong storms are expected in several areas of the island.
The President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., announced this Friday that “the authorities have prepared for the heavy rains and foreseeable floods” that Mawar will cause, since the proximity of the super typhoon will presumably bring climatic instability to a large part of the archipelago.
The Natural Disaster Reduction Agency (NDRRM) has prepared provisions in two of the northernmost regions of the country, Ilocos and the Cagayan Valley, in the face of expected flooding from the super typhoon, due to the passage of maritime transport will be suspended over the weekend in various areas.
The agency’s meteorologist, Yen Chin-chun, estimated that the typhoon could strengthen and move northward on May 29, when it is expected to reach southeastern Taiwan waters, before reversing course and moving away from Taiwan and the Philippines in northeast direction.
Earlier this month, Philippine authorities forecast that around 10 typhoons will enter the Philippine monitoring area in 2023 due to the phenomenon known as “El Niño”, which warms Pacific waters and causes more cyclones to form.
The cyclone is heading strongly towards the Luzon Strait between the Philippines and Taiwan, after hitting the island of Guam, an unincorporated territory of the United States in Micronesia, on Wednesday night, where it has left a trail of destruction despite not having No fatalities or serious injuries have been reported.
With information from EFE.
