Potential Super Typhoon Uwan may affect 8.4M people — DSWD

Around 8.4 million people may be affected once potential super typhoon Uwan hits the country, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Friday.

“Based on our analysis, the total potentially affected population would be 8.4 million based on the [Philippine Statistics Authority] 2020,” DSWD Assistant Secretary Leo Quintilla said at a press conference.

Most of the possible affected population will be from Ilocos Region with 3.5 million, Cagayan Valley with 2.03 million, and the Cordillera Administrative Region with 1.4 million.

In Central Luzon, 1.3 million individuals are also expected to be affected including those living in the provinces of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, and Aurora.

More residents may also be affected in Quezon Province in Calabarzon, Occidental Mindoro in Mimaropa, and Catanduanes in the Bicol Region, according to Quintilla.

The DSWD currently has 2.04 million family food boxes including food items and non-food items for the households that will be affected by Uwan. The department still has P2.7-billion standby funds.

In an 11 a.m. advisory, state weather bureau PAGASA said Severe Tropical Storm Fung-wong has further intensified over the Philippine Sea outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).

Fung-wong was spotted 1,315 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas, packing maximum sustained winds of 100 km per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 125 kph.

The tropical cyclone, with strong to storm-force winds extending outwards up to 720 km from the center, was moving west northwestward at 20 kph.

Fung-wong is expected to enter the PAR either late Friday evening or early Saturday morning and will be named locally as “Uwan”

“FUNG-WONG is forecast to make landfall over the southern portion of Isabela or the northern portion of Aurora on Sunday (09 November) late evening or on Monday (10 November) early morning,” PAGASA said.

Fung-wong may rapidly intensify and reach typhoon category in the next 24 hours and super typhoon category Saturday evening or Sunday morning. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News