What we know so far about storms Goring, Hanna, and Kirogi
Fun weekends are out for the moment as the Philippines is facing the wrath of not one, but three storms: Super Typhoon Goring, Typhoon Hanna, and another tropical storm called Kirogi.
While Goring has now left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), the country is still not in the clear from the bad weather as it was immediately replaced by Hanna just hours after its exit. To make it worse, Kirogi is also hovering over the Pacific Ocean.
Here’s what we know so far about the storms:
Goring's impact
Being the first tropical cyclone to plague the Philippines this time around, Goring developed from a low pressure area off Cagayan on Aug. 24 and brought about torrential rain and fierce winds in parts of Northern Luzon.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, Goring had affected a total of 19,370 families or 63,565 individuals in seven regions across the country in areas that include the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, MIMAROPA, Western Visayas and the Cordillera Administrative Region.
Due to the dangerous floods it brought, 4,049 families or 14,856 individuals are temporarily seeking shelters around 154 evacuation centers.
Hanna and Kirogi follow suit
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Goring is now out of the PAR as of Aug. 30. However, the skies will not clear up yet as Hanna has now enterted the country and has developed into a typhoon.
According to its bulletin issued on Sept. 1, the state bureau said that Hanna has now strengthened into a typhoon and was found 785 kilometers east northeast of Itbayat, Batanes. It has maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph.
PAGASA is also observing the presence of Kirogi, which along with Hanna and Goring, has been slightly enhancing the southwest monsoon.
Will they bring severe rains to the Philippines?
Despite Hanna's intensity, PAGASA stated that it is less likely to directly bring heavy rainfall over the country throughout its forecast, as well as bring severe winds or rough sea conditions. This is because of the storm's distance from the Philippine landmass.
However, due to the three storms strengthening the southwest monsoon, rains and gusty conditions may still affect the western portion of Luzon for the next three days.
Areas that need to prepare for orange rainfall (100 to 200 millimeters of rain) for the next few days include Metro Manila, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, and the Ilocos Region.