Typhoon Khanun intensifies, set to leave Philippines by Tuesday
TROPICAL CYCLONE Khanun, locally named Falcon, has intensified while moving over the Philippine Sea, the state weather bureau said on Monday.
In a 5 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the typhoon had maximum sustained winds of 156 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 205 kph.
It was moving at 15 kph and was slightly accelerating and turning west-northwestward.
“The southwest monsoon enhanced by Typhoon Falcon will bring occasional monsoon rains over the western portion of Luzon and the Visayas in the next three days,” the weather bureau said.
Falcon, the sixth typhoon to hit the country this year and the third in July, developed into a typhoon on Sunday evening.
Based on its forecast track, PAGASA said Falcon might exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Tuesday morning or evening.
“Falcon is forecast to further intensify in the next 12 hours and reach its peak intensity while maintaining its strength as it tracks over Okinawa Islands in the Ryukyu Archipelago,” it said.
Meanwhile, initial crop and irrigation damage from Super Typhoon Egay (international name: Doksuri) had reached P3.52 billion, the National Irrigation Administration said in a separate statement.
About 43,875 hectares of agricultural lands cultivated by 69,432 farmers were affected, it added.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council said in an 8 a.m. report the estimated cost of damage to infrastructure had reached P3.5 billion.
It added that 106 cities and municipalities were declared under a state of calamity.
About 2.39 million people from 654,837 families in 13 regions mostly on the main island of Luzon were affected by Egay. Typhoon victims received P146.68 million in assistance, it said.
These were the Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Soccsksargen and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The typhoon killed at least 25 people, the disaster agency said. More than 50 people were also injured, while 20 went missing. — S.J. Talavera
