Typhoon Santi (Mirimae) : All Souls Day typhoon expected to bring floods and landslides

Typhoon Mirinae Aka Typhoon Santi the Philippine AOR (Area of Responsibilty) name is forecast to hit Luzon Island threatening Central, Northern, and National Capitol Region areas on Luzon. Island

The forecast is grim for the evening of the 29th to the 30th and perhaps up to the 31st of October in many parts of Luzon Island.

The path where a tropical cyclone is forecast to pass over the islands over the next few days. Depending if it maintains its current speed it will stay over Luzon affecting the most populated part of the Philippines for over 48-72 hours.

Rainfall estimates accroding to news reports are in excess of 15mm on averagem but this figure is expected to rise.

In a interview with journalists Government Weather Bureau officails warn, ‘Rainfall with gale force winds will be felt as early as friday afternoon’, Affecting province of Aurora, and up to southern part of North Luzon, an area already badly hit in past storms with a major lake, Laguna de Bay, over its normal levels with many lakeside communites still inundated and flood infrastrcuture damaged from the last three storms. rainfall 

By early Saturday morning both Central and Southern Luzon including Metro Manila can expect heavy rain and wind for up to 12 hours. Northern Luzon will also be affected – but – mostly from rain.

If the storm continues on its forecast path, Santi, is expected to create more problems for the already hard hit portions of the Ilocos, Pangasinan, Zambales Tarlac, and La Union areas by Saturday noon.

PAGASA, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, has raised signal no. 2 Aurora, Northern Quezon and Polillo islands. Areas under storm signal number two can expect winds in excess of 75kph up to 125kph over the next 24 hours.

Seas are rough to moderate tonight and expected to increase to rough to extremely rough by friday noon as the storm surge nears the eastern coast of Luzon Island.

Meanwhile has also placed under storm signal number one: Isabela, Ifugao, Quirino, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, rest of Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes.

Government ready: 150 trucks of relief goods sent to areas in storms path , mandatory evacuations to be enforced in flood prone areas. Officails say that rescue teams from the Philippine Navy and Coast Guard have been deployed to areas in the path of the storm.

Aid flowing into the country for the last two major storms has also been readied for distribution to areas that may be hit in this storm. Southern Luzon, Metro Manila, CALABARZON region:

Flood fears anew in areas that have just dried up: 

Fears of flooding has also put local government units on the fringes of the storms path in Metro Manila the capitol region on high alert. Local officails have been told by the national government to take no chances and also see if All Souls and All Saints day commerations,

In the only Christian majority nation in Asia, (83% Roman Catholic 9% protestant), All Souls day is a public holiday that covers the 31st of October to November 1 be closely monitored. As former US commonwealth, Halloween, the popular U.S. holiday is also celebrated – but most costumes are expected to include boots in many places as fears of a wet Halloween will put a damper on the normally active trick or treaters as well as the party crowd. 

Warnings by the state weather bureau and office of civil defense are also for people to limit travel and if they intend to go to visit the graves of loved ones to do so only after making sure to monitor weather reports in areas near cemetaries. It is typical for locals to spend the night at cemetaries or visit with relatives at family gatherings. The season is also high travel season – and part of the college break season for hundreds of thousands of students.

Fast moving system – forecasters hope will mean ‘less flood related damage.

Typhoon Mirinae, or, Santi as it is named once the storm entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility, is a fast moving storm at 29kph it is forcasr to have winds with gustiness up to 185kph when it makes landfall late friday with an estimated 48 hours to pass over Luzon Island. Typhoons typically slow down on landfall. But they also a prone to weakening as well.

Severe Weather Bulletin Number FIVE, Typhoon "SANTI" has maintained its strength as it continues to move towards Central Luzon. -Photo Phil. Weather Bureau handout (PAGASA)

Residents in low-lying areas and near mountain slopes under signals #2 and #1 are advised to take all the necessary precautionary measures against flashfloods and landslides.

The public and the disaster coordinating councils concerned are advised to take appropriate actions . -PAGSAS-DOST