EVEN as several places in Northern Luzon are still submerged in floodwaters in the aftermath of “Pedring,” the public was advised to brace for a much stronger typhoon.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said “Quiel” was gathering strength as it approached the country, prompting the weather bureau to hoist storm signals in at least 15 areas.

According to PAGASA’s Adzar Aurelio, the typhoon is expected to affect Northern Luzon this afternoon. He advised fishermen in Luzon to refrain from going out to sea to avoid storm surges.

In its 5 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said “Quiel” was still far off and was tracked 770 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 130 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 160 kph while moving west at 22 kph.

However, as of 10 a.m., the typhoon was already 640 km east of Tuguegarao City with stronger maximum winds of 140 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 170 kph with the same speed of 22 kph.

With “Quiel” expected to make landfall in the Cagayan-Isabela area, the weather bureau first hoisted signal number 2 in these provinces then raised the level to 3  as the typhoon intensified while getting closer to Northern Luzon.

Meanwhile Calayan and the Babuyan group of Islands, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, Benguet, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte and Abra were placed under signal number 1.

Like “Pedring,” the new typhoon is estimated to have a rainfall of 15-25 millimeters with a diameter of 400 km.

Aurelio said that “Pedring”  affected a much bigger area.

The PAGASA official also alerted residents in low lying and mountainous areas to flashfloods and landslides.

Death toll

Meanwhile the death toll from typhoon “Pedring” rose to 43 and 30 others were listed as missing.

Damage to property and agriculture was a staggering P4 billion, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council said.

Still reeling from the effects of “Pedring,” residents of extreme Northern Luzon were asked to prepare for a stormy weekend. NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos also alerted residents in low-lying and mountainous areas to possible flashfloods and landslides.

Ramos also warned people living in coastal areas of big waves or storm surges as weather forecasters said “Quiel” is expected to hit Cagayan, Batanes and Ilocos Norte tomorrow morning.

Philippine National Police chief, Director General Nicanor A. Bartolome said the 140,000-strong police force is coordinating with its counterpart government agencies their preparation for the possible destructive storm ‘Quiel.’

Bartolome said they will be aiming for ‘zero typhoon casualties’ through preemptive measures to be done by the PNP in coordination with the NDRRMC and other government agencies.

With Alfred Dalizon