Nina Pounds: Thousands Evacuate As Storm Poses Danger

Pagasa said Nina slightly weakened on early Monday as it traversed toward Marinduque after it made landfall at 6:30 p.m. in Bato, Catanduanes

Typhoon Nina has slightly lost its strength on early Monday as it traversed Marinduque province, prompting thousands to flee their homes.

According to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Nina, with international name Nock-Ten, is packed with maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour near its center, which is down from 175 kilometers per hour, and gusts of up to 250 kilometers per hour.

The typhoon was last spotted 85 kilometers north of Romblon, Romblon, passing Mompog pass. It was heading westward with a running speed of 20 kilometers per hour.

evacuation because of Nina
The preemptive evacuation in areas along the path of Typhoon Nina on Sunday, Christmas of 2016.

According to Pagasa, Nina is expected to move toward the provinces of southern Quezon, Batangas and Cavite.

On Monday, public storm warning signal number 3 was raised over Camarines Sur, southern Quezon, Marinduque, Batangas, northern Oriental Mindoro, Lubang Island, Cavite and Laguna.

Signal Number 2 was raised to Metro Manila, northern Quezon including Polillo Islands,  Bulacan, Bataan, Pampanga, southern Zambales, Rizal, rest of Oriental Mindoro, Romblon,  northern Occidental Mindoro, Burias Island, Camarines Norte, and Albay.

The rest of Occidental Mindoro, Masbate including Ticao Island, rest of Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, southern Aurora, Pangasinan, Sorsogon and Catanduanes were placed under Signal Number 1.

typhoon track of Nina
The track of Typhoon Nina which entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility before Christmas.

Pagasa advised that sea travel remained risky over the seaboards of Luzon as storm surge height of up to 2.5 meters is possible over the coastal areas of Camarines Sur and Southern Quezon.

In Daraga, Albay, Children and the elderly were immediately loaded onto military trucks as thousands fled from their homes on the path of Nina.

The preemptive evacuations that involved thousands of individuals were carried out following the typhoon threat that Nina brought on one of the biggest holidays in the Philippines.

Nina stay in the Ph
Typhoon Nina will stay in the Philippines until earlier this week.

According to Albert Lindo, an official of Albay’s farming village near the active Mayon Volcano, they went around with megaphones and gave instructions to the residents to eat their breakfast, pack and board the military trucks.

There were about a hundred infants, toddlers, parents and elderly who were initially trucked off to a school, which serves as an evacuation center, about seven kilometers away from their homes when strong winds started to pound the place and shake trees, threatening to be uprooted.

According to the state weather bureau, the eye of Nina will be nearest Metro Manila at around two in the afternoon of Monday.

Nina or Nock-Ten is named after a bird found in Laos.

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