TROPICAL storm “Ulysses” is forecast to intensify into a typhoon and may make landfall on Wednesday in the Bicol region which still recovering from the effects of super typhoon “Rolly,” the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)said yesterday.
Ulysses intensified into a tropical depression, from a low pressure area, on Sunday night. It further intensified into a storm storm yesterday afternoon.
In a press briefing, weather specialist Chris Perez said the Ulysses may reach the typhoon category prior to landfall in the Bicol-Quezon area either on Wednesday afternoon or evening.
“Base on the forecast track, the center of Ulysses will possibly make a landfall in the Bicol region-Quezon area around afternoon or evening on Wednesday. This estimate may change while it is approaching,” he said.
Perez said Ulysses is projected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility either on Friday or Saturday.
As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Ulysses was some 575 km east of Borongan in Eastern Samar, with maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It was moving northwestward at 15 kph.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has advised agencies to prepare for Ulysses.
“RDRRMCs (regional disaster risk reduction and management councils) have been conducting pre-disaster risk assessment meetings to prepare the localities,” the NDRRMC said in a statement.
“The public is again advised to take precautionary measures as flooding and rain-induced landslides may occur in highly-susceptible areas during heavy rainfall,” the agency also said.
Ulysses is the fourth weather disturbance to hit the country this month, the first was Rolly which battered Bicol region, leaving 25 persons dead, P15 billion worth of damage to infrastructure and agriculture, and 134, 639 houses either destroyed or damaged.
After Rolly “Siony” which has left the country. “Tonyo” made landfalls in Marinduque and Batangas on Sunday morning as a tropical depression. It intensified into a tropical storm 2 a.m. yesterday and exited the Philippine area of responsibility two hours later.
