MANILA—Northern Luzon was spared from the wrath of intensifying Typhoon Chedeng (Songda) after it changed course hours before its expected landfall in the country, the state weather bureau said.
In a 4 a.m. bulletin on Friday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services said Chedeng was roaring 250 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, moving northwestward at a speed of 19 kilometers per hour.
It has maximum sustained winds of 195 kph and gusts of up to 223 kph. Storm signals remained hoisted over at least eightLuzon provinces.
But along its path, it left a trail of destruction. Chedeng killed a 70-year-old man in Catanduanes, spawned at least seven incidents of flashfloods in Mindanao, and forced 262,374 people to flee their inundated homes, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported.
Damage to crops and infrastructure was placed at about P11.5 million.
Pagasa said Chedeng was still expected to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring rains over Visayas and Mindanao.
Following are the provinces where storm signals were raised:
Signal number 2:
- Batanes Group
Signal number 1:
- Cagayan
- Calayan Group
- Babuyan Group
- Isabela
- Quirino
- Aurora
- Northern Quezon, including Polillo Island
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