#GlendaPH hits Bataan, Zambales

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Typhoon Glenda (Rammasun) is now at the West Philippine Sea, after pummeling parts of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, and Bicol within the past 24 hours.

As of 2 pm Wednesday, July 16, the typhoon’s eye was located 97 kilometers west of Olongapo City, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

It slightly weakened after passing through much of Calabarzon, now with maximum sustained winds of 140 km/h near the center and gusts of up to 170 km/h as it moves northwest at a speed of 25 km/h.

Public storm warning signals, issued at 11 am, are as follows:

Public Storm Warning Signal # 3 (Winds of 101-185 kph is expected in at least 18 hours)

• Zambales
• Tarlac
• Pampanga
• Bataan
• Bulacan
• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• Cavite
• Lubang Island
• Pangasinan

Public Storm Warning Signal # 2 (Winds of 61-100 Kph is expected in at least 24 hours)

• La Union
• Benguet
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Nueva Ecija
• Southern Aurora
• Quezon
• Laguna
• Batangas
• northern parts of Occidental and Oriental Mindoro

Public Storm Warning Signal # 1 (Winds of 30-60 Kph is expected in at least 36 hours)

• Ilocos Sur
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Quirino
• Northern Aurora
• Camarines Norte
• Marinduque
• Rest of Mindoro provinces
• Calamian Islands

Public Storm Warning signals elsewhere have been lowered. 

Heavy to intense rainfall (15-25 millimeters/hour) is still expected within the typhoon’s 500-km diameter.

It will soon reach Subic, Zambales, and is forecast to move towards the West Philippine Sea, off Zambales, by noon; it will then leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Thursday morning, July 17. 

With the typhoon still passing over the Philippines and many areas without electricity, the scale of the damage and potential number of fatalities was impossible to determine.

The eye of the storm just missed Metro Manila, home to more than 12 million people, but the huge winds and bursts of heavy rain brought the city to a virtual standstill.

Power in many areas, including the business district of Makati, was cut just after dawn as branches were torn off trees and electricity lines snapped. – With reports from Agence France-Presse/Rappler.com

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Visit Project Agos for the latest stories on areas affected by Typhoon Glenda. Go to #WeatherAlerts for weather updates.