Typhoon Ruby: 47 provinces at ‘high risk’

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – A total of 47 provinces – home to 66.6 million Filipinos – have been identified by government scientists Friday, December 5, as high-risk areas when Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) hits the country over the weekend.

As of 3 pm, the typhoon was located 380 kilometers east of Borongan, Eastern Samar, with maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h near the center, and gusts of up to 230 km/h, state weather bureau PAGASA said in a press conference at their headquarters in Quezon City.

The storm is being affected by the northeast monsoon, which is bringing cooler air from the northern polar regions of Asia, which caused the typhoon to lose some strength, state forecasters said.

Public storm warning signal numbers 2 and 1 has been raised over these areas:

Signal no. 2 Winds between 61-100 km/h within 24 hours	Signal no. 1 Winds between 30-60 km/h within 36 hours
Albay	Catanduanes
Sorsogon	Camarines Norte
Masbate	Burias Island
Ticao Island	Romblon
Northern Samar	Capiz
Eastern Samar	Iloilo
Samar	Antique
Biliran	Guimaras
Leyte	Aklan
Southern Leyte	Negros Occidental
Northern Cebu and Cebu City	Negros Oriental
Bantayan Island	Rest of Cebu
Camotes Island	Siquijor
	Bohol
	Surigao del Norte
	Surigao del Sur
	Agusan del Norte
	Agusan del Sur
	Camiguin
	Dinagat Island
	Siargao Island
Rice and corn maybe adversely affected Few large trees uprooted Large number of nipa and cogon houses partially or totally unroofed and old galvanized iron roofs may roll off Billboards/Signage may roll off Travel by all types of sea vessels and aircrafts are risky Residents in low lying and mountainous areas are alerted against possible flash floods and landslides	Twigs and branches of trees maybe broken Some banana plants may tilt or land flat on the ground Rice in flowering stage may suffer significant damage Some nipa and cogon houses maybe partially unroofed Sea travel of small sea crafts and fishing boats is risky Occasional rains with occasional gusty winds

The bureau said they might raise public storm warning signal number 4 once the typhoon hits land, but said it will only be done within 12 hours of the predicted landfall.

Earlier Friday, the US Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) has downgraded the system from super typhoon to typhoon. During the 4 pm briefing, PAGASA officials also declared Ruby as below super typhoon status.

Heavy to intense rainfall (7.5-20 mm/h) is expected within the typhoon’s 600 kilometer diameter.

PAGASA listed 47 provinces across the country as “potential high-risk areas.” These are the provinces that are likely to be affected by the typhoon’s 600 kilometer diameter, the bureau explained.

POTENTIAL HIGH-RISK AREAS As of 4 pm, 5 December 2014
Aklan	Albay
Antique	Aurora
Bataan	Batangas
Benguet	Biliran
Bohol	Bulacan
Camarines Norte	Camarines Sur
Capiz	Catanduanes
Cavite	Cebu
Dinagat Island	Eastern Samar
Guimaras	Iloilo
La Union	Laguna
Leyte	Marinduque
Masbate	Metro Manila
Negros Occidental	Negros Oriental
Northern Samar	Nueva Ecija
Nueva Vizcaya	Occidental Mindoro
Oriental Mindoro	Palawan
Pampanga	Pangasinan
Quezon	Quirino
Rizal	Romblon
Samar	Sorsogon
Southern Leyte	Surigao del Norte
Surigao del Sur	Tarlac
Zambales

These provinces are home to a total ot 66.6 million Filipinos, based on 2010 census data from the Philippine Statistical Authority. 

At highest risk are the areas where the storm’s eye might potentially pass close.

Ruby is still moving towards the west-northwest at a speed of 13 km/h. PAGASA said landfall is forecast in the area of Eastern Samar and Northern Samar by Saturday evening, December 6, or early Sunday, December 7.

It is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Wednesday, December 10.

“Ruby and the Northeast Monsoon will bring rough to very rough sea conditions over the seaboards of Northern Luzon, eastern seaboard of Central and Southern Luzon, seaboards of Visayas and over northern and eastern seaboards of Mindanao,” the bureau said in its severe weather bulletin.

Metro Manila will likely be affected by Sunday, the bureau said, with the typhoon’s outer periphery affecting the metropolis. The area should expect possible rain and winds, but not as strong as those under storm signals 2 and 3, the bureau added.

The next bulletin will be released at 11 pm. – Rappler.com