The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has advised Iloilo residents to prepare for Typhoon Rolly, the strongest tropical cyclone so far this year.
“Importante nga magpreparar kita. Indi na kita maghulat nga magbaskog ang ulan kag hangin bag-o maghulag,” said engineer Raffy Tapales of PAGASA-Iloilo.
Those living in landslide- and flood-prone communities, according to Tapales, need to move to safer grounds.
“Owing to very favorable conditions, there remains a possibility that this typhoon will reach the Super Typhoon category over the next 12 hours. However, “Rolly” is more likely to be near Super Typhoon strength (185-215 kilometers per hour) by time it grazes Bicol Region and makes landfall over Quezon,” PAGASA said in a statement.
In its 11 a.m. bulletin, the state weather bureau said the eye of the typhoon was located 480 kilometers east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes as of 10 a.m.
The center of the eye of the typhoon is forecast to pass very close to Catanduanes, the Calaguas Islands, and very close to mainland Camarines provinces by Sunday morning, Nov. 1, and over Polillo Islands and mainland Quezon by Sunday afternoon.
The tropical cyclone was last tracked packing maximum sustained winds of 215 kph near the center and gusts of up to 265 kph. It is moving west southwestward at 20 kph.
Under PAGASA’s classification, a super typhoon carries maximum wind speeds of at least 220 kph.IMT
