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Typhoon Emong makes landfall in Pangasinan


MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Emong made its landfall Thursday evening in the northern Luzon province of Pangasinan and is expected to sweep northeastward across the Cordillera mountains before exiting via Cagayan into the Philippines Sea. Pagasa weather services chief Nathaniel Cruz said Emong (international code name: (Chan-Hom) made its landfall about 7 p.m. in Bolinao, one of Pangasinan’s westernmost town and which guards the Lingayen Gulf. Cruz said the typhoon was to cross Lingayen Gulf and hit land a second time at 10 p.m. "Ang unang tama sa north Pangasinan, sa Bolinao (It made its first landfall in Bolinao town in North Pangasinan)," he said in an interview on dzBB radio. Cruz said Emong was expected to cross Lingayen Gulf and make a second landfall at La Union, then pass through Cordillera mountain provinces before hitting Cagayan in the northeastern side of Luzon Island. Emong is expected to weaken after crossing these land masses, as it is already far from the sea, Cruz said. The cyclone presently has maximum sustained winds of 150 kph near the center, he said. "As it passes through land, it is far from the sea where it draws its power. This will eventually weaken it," he explained. The typhoon is expected to exit land mass at 3 to 4 p.m. Friday at its present speed and direction, he added. Pagasa said Emong was expected to be 70 km northeast of Tuguegarao City in Cagayan on Friday afternoon; 300 km northeast of Aparri, Cagayan or 160 km east of Basco, Batanes on Saturday afternoon; and 330 km north-northeast of Basco Batanes on Sunday afternoon. At 4:30 p.m., Pagasa hoisted Storm Signal No. 3 over 13 provinces. These were: 1. Pangasinan 2. Zambales 3. Tarlac 4. Nueva Vizcaya 5. La Union 6. Ilocos Sur 7. Benguet 8. Ifugao 9. Mountain Province 10. Kalinga 11. Apayao 12. Abra 13. Ilocos Norte Placed under Storm Signal No. 2 were Bataan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Aurora Quirino, Isabela, Cagayan, Babuyan Group of Islands, and Batanes. Storm Signal No. 1 remained over Metro Manila and the Southern Tagalog and was expected to be lifted soon as Emong moved farther away to the north. Emong, which originated in the southern part of South China Sea, entered the Philippine area of responsibility Wednesday just as Typhoon Dante moved farther away. On Thursday, officials said the death toll from floods and landslides caused by Dante last week in the Bicol region and Quezon province has risen to 27. The National Disaster Coordinating Council said Wednesday that more bodies have been discovered in the mud and debris caused by landslides and floods that have left nearly 55,000 homeless. Eight people are still missing. About 20 typhoons and tropical storms lash the Philippines each year, but officials say the storms' appearance in midsummer is an unusual occurrence that may have been caused by global warming. - GMANews.TV, With an AP report
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