The Philippines is once again preparing for another storm as it now approaches the central part of the country this Christmas season. The country's national weather forecasting agency known as PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services) issued a new warning that the storm made a landfall in the northern tip of Northern Samar at 1 pm local time, GMT +8 and now traversing Southern part of Luzon Island and Visayas region.
The Philippines is the only country in the world to annually receive at least more than 20 tropical storms. This is a headache for the country due to the consequence of a severe weather that could costs billions of dollars worth of damages. Every year, the Philippines is hammered by several dozens of typhoons and tropical storms responsible for causing infrastructures damaged or permanently destroyed. Numerous residents affected by the visiting tropical storms will have to rebuild their properties as well as to seek for a safer ground to prevent encountering fatal accidents whenever a severe weather visits their communities.
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| PAGASA'S Guiuan Radar shows the path of typhoon Melor approaching the Philippines |
Typhoon advisory: Melor is locally known as Nona in the Philippines because the country's weather agency localized the name of all storms passing in the country's area of responsibility. The typhoon's strength will bring heavy rains with high-velocity winds that can damage roofs and uproots trees. Melor will be brushing through the province of Northen Samar and will be expected to make a direct hit to the province of Sorsogon.
Storm surges are expected to be at least four meters or even higher as it approaches the land mass. Melor will traverse other provinces of Albay, Burias Island, Masbate, Oriental Mindoro, and Palawan for the next hours. The storm will be expected to leave the country's area of responsibility on Saturday, December 20, 2015.
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| The forecasted path of Typhoon Melor as illustrated by PAGASA |
Although public storm signals are now lowered, heavy rains and strong winds brought about by the storm's moisture is still affecting other parts of the country such as in Central Luzon, Northern Luzon, and Palawan.
Another Active Low Pressure is now creating another threat to the Philippines that is located at least a thousand miles East of Mindanao Island. The movement of the new storm is westwards and possibly hitting the island of Mindanao next week.
Residents are advised to stay indoors. Fishermen and shipping companies are prohibited to go towards open sea due to the risk of harm brought about by raging sea waters brought about by the typhoon. The threat of landslides, flash floods, thunderstorms and isolated tornadoes are expected to be generated by the storm as it passes through a land mass.
The Philippines receives an average of 20 tropical storms every year, making it the most typhoon-prone country due to its geographical proximity to the west Pacific Ocean basin.
On November 8, 2013, Supertyphoon Haiyan or locally named as Yolanda, which was the deadliest storm to hit the country. The storm was packed with a record breaking maximum sustained winds of 230 kilometers per hour near the center with a wind gust of 315 kph, which has the strongest historical landfall. It left more than 6,300 deaths with 1,061 that are still missing.
