Signal No. 4 in Aurora as Typhoon Lando intensifies

MANILA, Philippines – The state weather bureau on Saturday afternoon, October 17, raised Storm Warning Signal No. 4 over Aurora as Typhoon Lando (Koppu) intensified.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) raised storm warning signals in 36 areas. The list can be found below along with PAGASA’s explanation of the effects of the wind under different storm signals.

SIGNAL NO. 4 – Winds of 171 to 220 km/h expected in at least 12 hours

• Aurora

EFFECTS OF WIND UNDER SIGNAL NO. 4

• Very heavy damage to high-risk structures
• Heavy damage to medium-risk structures
• Moderate damage to low-risk structures
• Considerable damage to structures of light materials (up to 75% are totally and partially destroyed); complete roof structure failures.
• Many houses of medium-built materials are unroofed, some with collapsed walls; extensive damage to doors and windows
• A few houses of first-class materials are partially damaged 
• All signs/billboards are blown down. There is almost total damage to banana plantations
• Most mango trees, ipil-ipil, and similar types of large trees are downed or broken
• Coconut plantation may suffer extensive damage
• Rice and corn plantations may suffer severe losses

SIGNAL NO. 3 – Winds of 121 to 170 km/h expected in at least 18 hours

• Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Nueva Ecija
• Ifugao
• Northern Quezon including Polillo Islands

EFFECTS OF WIND UNDER SIGNAL NO. 3

• Heavy damage to high-risk structures; 
• Moderate damage to medium-risk structures;
• Light damage to low-risk structures
• Increasing damage (up to more than 50%) to old, dilapidated residential structures and houses of light materials. Majority of all nipa and cogon houses may be unroofed or destroyed
• Houses of medium strength materials (old, timber, or mixed timber-CHB structures, usually with GI roofings); some warehouses or bodega-type structures are unroofed
• There may be widespread disruption of electrical power and communication services 
• Almost all banana plants are downed
• Some big trees (acacia, mango, etc.) are broken or uprooted
• Dwarf-type or hybrid coconut trees are tilted or downed.
• Rice and corn crops may suffer heavy losses
• Damage to shrubbery and trees with foliage blown off; some large trees blown down

SIGNAL NO. 2 – Winds of 61 to 120 km/h expected in at least 24 hours

• Cagayan including Calayan and Babuyan group of Islands
• Benguet
• Mt. Province
• Abra
• Kalinga
• Apayao
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• Pangasinan
• Zambales
• Tarlac
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Rizal
• Rest of Quezon
• Camarines Norte
• Metro Manila

EFFECTS OF WIND UNDER SIGNAL NO. 2

• Light to moderate damage to high-risk structures; 
• Very light to light damage to medium-risk structures; 
• No damage to very light damage to low-risk structures
• Unshielded, old dilapidated schoolhouses, makeshift shanties, and other structures of light materials are partially damaged or unroofed. 
• A number of nipa and cogon houses may be partially or totally unroofed
• Some old galvanized iron (GI) roofs may be peeled or blown off
• Some wooden, old electric posts are tilted or downed
• Some damage to poorly constructed signs/billboards
• In general, the winds may bring light to moderate damage to the exposed communities. Most banana plants, a few mango trees, ipil-ipil and similar types of trees are downed or broken 
• Some coconut trees may be tilted with few others broken
• Rice and corn may be adversely affected 
• Considerable damage to shrubbery and trees with some heavy-foliaged trees blown down

SIGNAL NO. 1 – Winds of 30 to 60 km/h expected in at least 36 hours)

• Batanes
• Bataan
• Cavite
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Lubang Island
• Northern Oriental Mindoro
• Marinduque
• Camarines Sur
• Albay
• Catanduanes

EFFECTS OF WIND UNDER SIGNAL NO. 1

• Very light or no damage to low-risk structures, 
• Light damage to medium- to high-risk structures
• Slight damage to some houses of very light materials or makeshift structures in exposed communities. Some banana plants are tilted, a few downed, and leaves are generally damaged
• Twigs of small trees may be broken.
• Rice crops may suffer significant damage when it is in its flowering stage

PAGASA said Lando is expected to make landfall in the Aurora area any time between 8 and 9 am on Sunday, October 18.

The state weather bureau also said Lando packs maximum sustained winds of 175 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 210 km/h.

It is seen to move west at 10 km/h. – Rappler.com