By Brian Campued
Typhoon Opong has exited the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Saturday morning, the state weather bureau said.
As of 10:00 a.m., the center of Opong was spotted 645 km west of Sangley Point in Cavite City, Cavite. It packs maximum sustained winds of 120 kph and gustiness of up to 150 kph, and is moving west-northwestward towards northern Vietnam at 35 kph.
With this development, all Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals (TCWS) have been lifted. However, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the southwest monsoon enhanced by Opong will still bring strong to gale-force gusts over parts of Luzon, Western Visayas, and Negros Occidental.
Residents may also expect better weather conditions as the tropical cyclone is now “less likely” to bring significant heavy rainfall over Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Batangas, and Cavite.
“However, scattered rains and thunderstorms are still expected over Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, and Zamboanga Peninsula within the next 24 hours,” PAGASA said in its final weather advisory issued at 5:00 a.m.
Meanwhile, mariners of small seacrafts are still advised against venturing into the sea as up to rough seas are expected over the seaboards of Lubang Island, Kalayaan Islands, Batanes, Cagayan, including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Ilocos Norte, and Zambales; as well as the western seaboards of Bataan, Calamian Islands, and Northern Palawan.
Up to moderate seas are likewise forecast over the eastern seaboards of Aurora, the northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands, and the western seaboards of Occidental Mindoro and Palawan.
Opong made a total of six landfalls along its path over Eastern Visayas – Southern Luzon area: the first is on San Policarpio, Eastern Samar on Thursday night, followed by five landfalls over Palanas and Milagros in Masbate, San Fernando and Alcantara in Romblon, and Malansay in Occidental Mindoro, all on Friday morning.
-jpv
