OCHA Flash Update No. 4 Philippines | Typhoon Maysak (4 April 2015)

This is an OCHA Flash Update on Typhoon Maysak.

Typhoon Maysak (known locally as Chedeng) maintained its strength and direction as it continued to approach the Philippines, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). As of 4 April, 11 a.m. (local time), Typhoon Maysak was located 240 km northeast of Virac, Catanduanes province in central Philippines, with maximum sustained winds of 130 km/h, gusts of up to 160 km/h (Category 1), moving west northwest at 22 km/h. The typhoon’s diameter further reduced to 400 km.

The following is the updated planning scenario based on information from the authorities.

Landfall: The typhoon is expected to make landfall over the eastern coast of Isabela province by the morning of 5 April as a Category 1 typhoon, striking isolated communities of Maconacon, Divilacan and Dinapigue municipalities. It will cross northern Luzon towards Ilocos Sur province, reaching the South China Sea (West Philippines Sea) by the afternoon of 5 April and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by the following morning.

Rain: Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected within the 150 km radius of the typhoon, which may trigger flashfloods and landslides particularly in Aurora, Isabela, Quezon and Ilocos provinces. Metro Manila will experience occasional heavy rains and gusty winds. Dams are unlikely to overflow.

Storm surge: Storm surges of up to two metres and rise of surface sea waves of up to four metres are expected over the eastern coast of Aurora, Isabela, Quezon, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes provinces.

Affected population: An estimated 56.6 million people may be affected in the regions I (Ilocos) II (Cagayan), III (Central Luzon), IV-A (Calabarzon), IV-B (Mimaropa), V (Bicol), VIII (Eastern Visayas), Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and National Capital Region.

The national and local authorities are intensifying preparations in the final 24 hours prior to the typhoon’s landfall. Residents in the provinces that are expected to be hardest hit are pre-emptively evacuated, relief items pre-positioned, response assets and teams deployed or placed on standby. Some 10,000 foreign and local tourists in the popular surfing town of Baler in Aurora have been pre-emptively evacuated on 4 April. The police force is managing the holiday traffic flow out of the provinces in the typhoon’s path.

Public Storm Warning Signal (PSWS) No. 2 is now in effect in provinces in regions II (southern Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Viscaya, Quirino), III (Aurora), CAR (Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province) and V (Catanduanes). PSWS No.1 is raised for all the provinces in Region I and the rest of CAR as well as in provinces in regions II (rest of Cagayan), III (Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac), IV-A (Quezon, Rizal) and V (Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur). The public is warned that although not a super typhoon, heavy rains and wind can still cause massive floods and damages to the agriculture and infrastructure sectors.

The Philippines Humanitarian Country Team is standing by to support government’s preparedness and relief efforts as needed.

The next Flash Update will be issued on 6 April.

For more information, contact:

Akiko Yoshida, Humanitarian Affairs Officer,yoshidaa@un.org, Mobile: +63-917-543-7251

To be added to the OCHA Philippines mailing list, please email manipol@un.org.