Typhoon “Gorio” To Exit Philippines By Sunday

Typhoon Gorio maintains its strength on its way out of the Philippines on Saturday, July 29, while most of the country experience better weather.

Gorio is moving northwest towards Taiwan at 15 kilometers per hour, slightly slower from 17 kph earlier on Saturday.

It is still packing maximum sustained winds and gustiness of 145 kph and 180 kph, respectively.

The eye of the typhoon was 265 km northeast of  Basco, Batanes as of 10:00 a.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

Gorio is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Sunday morning, the state weather bureau said.

It is expected to make landfall in Taiwan tonight.

Storm warning Signal No. 2 is still up in Batanes province and Signal no. 1 over the Babuyan Group of Islands.

Weather officials added the tropical depression outside Philippine territory – located 435 km west of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte – was also enhancing the southwest monsoon.

Both weather disturbances are expected to still bring moderate to occasionally heavy rain over Northern and Central Luzon, and light to moderate rain over Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon.

The weather bureau also warned against sea travel along the seaboard of northern Luzon and the western seaboard of Central and Southern Luzon.

PAGASA said the rest of country will experience improved weather conditions.

The typhoon left zero casualties, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Executive Director Ricardo Jalad told CNN Philippines.

He also advised residents heading to Baguio City to avoid Kennon Road and take Marcos Highway instead for safety purposes after a landslide on Friday. He said the debris have been cleared.

Despite a storm signal raised over Batanes, Governor Marilou Cayco told CNN Philippines the typhoon has “minimal impact to the province.”

She said the local government is on standby to provide rescue and other assistance, but as of noon on Saturday, there were no damages and no families evacuated.

Disaster officials still advised residents in low-lying areas to be on alert for possible storm surges.

Meanwhile, floods have subsided in Metro Manila, where many areas were earlier flooded at the height of monsoon rains.

Clean-op operations are underway in Malabon, and City Mayor Antolin Oreta III said he just suspended classes in all levels so schools can be cleared up.

There are no more floods and traffic is light along EDSA.

Sources: PAGASA, CNN PH