Typhoon Gardo enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility

Weather service PAGASA reported that Typhoon Gardo (international name Maria) entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility early Monday morning.

At 4 a.m., Gardo was 1,325 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes, with 200 kilometer per hour sustained winds which could gust up to 245 kph.

Gardo was moving west-northwest at 30 kph, and was not expected to make landfall over the country.

Nevertheless, the typhoon would enhance the southwest monsoon, bringing rain over the Mimaropa and Western Visayas Regions; and occasional rain over Metro Manila, the Calabarzon Region, Bicol Region, Zambales, Bataan, and Aurora until Tuesday.

By Wednesday, Luzon, particularly the western section, would experience monsoon rains.

PAGASA warned that all these areas, especially the low-lying and mountainous portions, could experience flooding and landslides from the heavy rain. Also, sea travel was risky over the northern and eastern seaboards of northern Luzon.

Given Gardo's speed and direction, the typhoon was projected to be:

• 760 kms east-northeast of Basco, Batanes by Tuesday morning, and
• 555 kms north of Basco, Batanes, outside the PAR, by Wednesday morning.

— DVM, GMA News