PAGASA: Typhoon to pass through Metro Manila

MANILA (UPDATED - Tropical cyclone Glenda (international name Rammasun) intensified into a typhoon as it nears the Philippines, state weather bureau PAGASA said Monday night.

PAGASA also raised public storm warning signals in 35 areas:

Signal No. 3

Catanduanes

Albay

Sorsogon

Signal No. 2

Southern Quezon

northern part of Samar

northern part of Eastern Samar

Camarines Norte

Camarines Sur

Masbate

Burias Island

Ticao Island

Marinduque

Signal No. 1

Metro Manila

Batangas

Cavite

Laguna

Rizal

Bulacan

Pampanga

Bataan

Zambales

Tarlac

Nueva Ecija

Pangasinan

Lubang Island

rest of Eastern Samar

Samar

Northern Leyte

Biliran Island

southern Aurora

rest of Quezon

Polilio Island

Romblon

Oriental Mindoro

Occidental Mindoro

The US Joint Typhoon Watch Center's projected track of Typhoon Glenda.

The typhoon is expected to make landfall in the Albay-Sorsogon area on Tuesday night and pass through Camarines Sur, Quezon, Laguna, Rizal, Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, and Zambales.

It is expected to hit Metro Manila on Wednesday morning, PAGASA said.

Nearby provinces will also be affected because of the typhoon's large size.

The Hawaii-based US Joint Typhoon Watch Center expects Typhoon Glenda to gain more strength in 12 hours before it makes landfall.



The cyclone will weaken as it makes its way across land before heading out into the West Philippine Sea where it will regain intensity.

"Glenda" was last spotted 400 kilometers east of Legazpi City and is moving west at 20 kph.

It is now packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kph and gustiness of up to 150 kph.

The typhoon is expected to exit land via the Zambales area by Wednesday afternoon.

PAGASA warned residents in low-lying and mountainous areas under storm signals against possible flashfloods, landslides, and storm surges.



The typhoon is has a rainfall rate of 7.5 to 25 mm per hour (moderate to intense) within its 500 km diameter, PAGASA said,



It advised fishermen and owners of other small seacraft not to go out into the eastern seaboards of Luzon and the Visayas. - with reports from Bettina Magsaysay, ABS-CBN News; ANC; dzMM

