#LuisPH exits PH area of responsibility

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MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Typhoon Luis (Kalmaegi) is now out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), after hitting northern Luzon, state weather bureau PAGASA said Monday, September 15.

As of 11 am Monday, the eye of typhoon was located outside the PAR, carrying maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h near the center and gusts of up to 150 km/h, the bureau said.

The typhoon was moving at a pace of 30 km/h, going west northwest. It is expected to hit the area of Hainan province in China in the coming days.

Public storm warning signal number 1 is currently in effect over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Abra, and Pangasinan.

Storm signals in other areas have been lowered, the bureau said.

Although the storm only directly affected the northern provinces, it has reinforced monsoon rains elsewhere in the country.

A ferry carrying more than 100 people hit by huge waves in the archipelago’s central waters sank late Saturday as the typhoon approached, killing three and leaving three missing.

Aside from the 3 people who died in the ferry sinking, there had been no reports of casualties since the typhoon made landfall, though sea travel in typhoon-affected areas and even airline flights were cancelled as precautionary measures as the typhoon approached.

Evacuees due to the storm now number 7,801 people, and are temporarily housed in 36 evacuation centers in Regions I, II, III, IV-A, CAR, and NCR, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in it 8 am bulletin.

Civil defense officials had previously ordered pre-emptive evacuations in towns in the typhoon’s path, with residents in coastal areas warned of possible storm surges two meters (6.5 feet) tall. – With reports from Agence France-Presse/Rappler.com

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