By ELLALYN V. RUIZ
Typhoon “Ambo” (international name “Vongfong”) made landfall over San Policarpio, Eastern Samar shortly after noon yesterday, packing a devastating combination of torrential rains and violent winds along its path.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration yesterday afternoon raised tropical cyclone warning Signal No. 3 over more areas as Ambo started to traverse Eastern Visayas and the Bicol region.
Sorsogon, Albay, Masbate, Ticao Island, Burias Island, Catanduanes, southern Camarines Sur, Northern Samar, northern parts of Eastern Samar and Samar, and Biliran were placed under Signal No. 3.
The typhoon’s eyewall brought violent winds and heavy to intense rains over the northern portion of Eastern Samar. PAGASA advised those in the northern portion of Samar and southern portion of Northern Samar of the same weather scenario in the coming hours.
Signal No. 2 remains hoisted over Camarines Norte, rest of Camarines Sur, southern part of Quezon province, Marinduque, northern Leyte, and the rest of Samar and Eastern Samar.
Under Signal No. 1 were Metro Manila, Aurora, southern portion of Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, rest of Quezon, Romblon, Bataan, Pampanga, rest of northern Leyte, northeastern portions of Capiz and Iloilo, and northern Cebu.
Heavy to intense rains prevailed in Northern and Eastern Samar, Samar, Masbate, Sorsogon, and Catanduanes, while moderate to heavy with occasional intense rains affected Albay, Camarines Sur, and the rest of Eastern Visayas.
At around 1 p.m. yesterday, the eye of Ambo was in the vicinity of Oras, Eastern Samar, maintaining maximum winds of 155 kilometers per hour and gustiness of 190 kph.
As the typhoon progresses, PAGASA said heavy to intense rains over the entire Bicol region, and moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Northern Samar, Quezon, Aurora, Marinduque, and Romblon may be felt today.
PAGASA is calling on people to be on guard against storm surge, flooding, and landslides. The State weather agency asked the public to stay away from the coast.
