Severe tropical storm “Kammuri” may dampen the Southeast Asian Games events next week as the weather disturbance further intensified into a typhoon yesterday ahead of its entry into the Philippine Area of Responsibility this weekend.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration estimated the location of Kammuri at 1,430 kilometers east of Visayas before noon yesterday.
From a severe tropical storm, Kammuri became a typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph. The weather disturbance is moving slowly west-northwest at 10 kph.
PAGASA weather specialist Raymond Ordinario said Kammuri will likely enter the PAR by tomorrow or Sunday and will be called by its local name “Tisoy” once inside the country’s vicinity.
Should it maintain its current track, Ordinario said Kammuri could make landfall over the Bicol region Tuesday, cross Region 4-A or the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon area, then exit the landmass through Bataan Wednesday.
PAGASA is also looking into a possible change in the tropical cyclone’s current track. But even if Kammuri recurves north, a landfall is still likely over Southern or Central Luzon.
Ordinario said possible “landfall point is from Bicol region up to Aurora.”
He advised the public to prepare for the approaching weather disturbance as it may affect most of Luzon, including the venues of the SEAG in Metro Manila and Central and Southern Luzon.
Kammuri, so far, has a diameter of 600 kilometers and could also bring rains over Region 4-B (Mindoro Oriental and Occidental, Romblon, and Palawan), and Visayas. (Ellalyn Ruiz)
