Storm signal number 4 Haiyan (international name) which will be named “Yolanda” when enters the Philippine area of responsibility, is expected to arrive on Thursday morning November 7,2013, and is forecast to make landfall in the Samar-Leyte area by Friday afternoon.
Yolanda is still a tropical storm but its maximum sustained winds could exactly exceed 185 kilometers per hour (kph) before it makes landfall in Visayas.
Yolanda will possibly hit Visayas because of the threat posed by a powerful tropical cyclone brewing near the Philippines, weather forecast warned on Tuesday.
PAGASA weather forecast Rene Paciente said, “Maliit ang tsansa na hihina kasi pag nasa dagat, mas lalakas pa.” If this happens it will be the 15th time that signal number 4 is declared in the country since 1991.
Typhoon Pablo is one of the strongest storm happened last year, same with Yolanda that could trigger flash floods and landslides over the areas in its path, including quake devastated in Bohol, PAGASA said.
The important thing is to identify landslide- and flood-prone areas and prepare an evacuation plan, authorities said.
“Pag mga sink hole kasi doon at may mga dam na puwedeng mag-ipon ng tubig,” Paciente said.
Communications Sec. Sonny Coloma said disaster management authorities are keeping their eye on the cyclone.
“Nakatutok po diyan ang ating NDRRMC [National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council], at doon sa isang partikular na lugar na tinatayang tatama ito. Gusto kong ipaalam sa inyo na ‘yung East Visayas DRRMC ay nakatakdang magpulong ngayong hapon sa Leyte,” Coloma said.
