“BETTY” exited the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) yesterday afternoon, hours after weakening into a severe tropical storm, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
Tropical cyclone wind signals have been lifted. However, Betty will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon which will bring occasional to frequent wind gusts to Metro Manila, northern Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Northern Samar, northern portion of Samar, the Cordillera Administrative Region, and the Ilocos, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol, Mimaropa, and the Western Visayas regions.
In its final bulletin for Betty issued at 5 p.m. yesterday, PAGASA said Betty is forecast to further weaken into a tropical storm on Saturday. It weakened into a severe tropical storm, from a typhoon, yesterday morning and crossed the PAR line yesterday afternoon.
PAGASA said Betty was projected to make landfall or pass very close to Okinawa Island in Japan Thursday night or Friday morning.
As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Betty was some 685 km northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, moving north northeastward at 15 kph and packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph.
“Under the influence of severe tropical storm Betty and the enhanced southwest monsoon, a marine gale warning remains in effect over the northern seaboards of northern Luzon, the eastern seaboard of Luzon, and the western seaboard of southern Luzon,” PAGASA said.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the number of families affected by Betty has risen to 8,209 families, or 30,506 individuals.
They are from 158 barangays in sic regions – Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, and Cordillera Administrative Region.
NDRRMC said one was reported injured due to Betty. He was identified as Mario Guinetto, 33, who was hit by a fallen tree in Barangay Batan in Kabayan, Benguet.
