MANILA, Philippines – The state weather bureau urged Metro Manila residents to stay indoors as much as possible, as Typhoon Lando (Koppu) is seen to linger in northern Luzon possibly until Tuesday, October 20. 

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecaster Meno Mendoza issued this reminder on Saturday, October 17, as the Philippine capital remains under Storm Warning Signal No. 2.

“Mapanganib pa rin ‘yan,” Mendoza said in a phone interview with Rappler. (That is still dangerous.)

He pointed out that Metro Manila, for one, is within the 650-km diameter of Lando. PAGASA expects “heavy to intense” rainfall within this 650-km diameter.

At the same time, Mendoza allayed fears that Lando will bring as much rain to Metro Manila as the unprecedented Tropical Storm Ondoy (Ketsana) did in 2009.

Ondoy during ‘habagat’

This is because the southwest monsoon or habagat season, which is known to bring heavy rain, no longer prevails over the Philippines.

Mendoza said Ondoy, which struck the Philippines in September 2009, coincided with the southwest monsoon. 

Back then, he said, Ondoy enhanced the habagat, which triggered flooding never before seen in Metro Manila. Flood waters reached the second floor of houses, for instance, and even swept cars away.

Ondoy made landfall “near the boundary of Aurora and Quezon provinces,” GMA News reported in 2009.

Lando is expected to hit land in the Aurora area any time between 8 and 9 am on Sunday, October 18.

The Philippines’ disaster council is now “strongly recommending” forced evacuation in flood-prone areas in the provinces of Isabela, Cagayan, Quirino, and Aurora. – Rappler.com