New storm stronger than Pepeng heads to eastern Bicol

By Gloria Esguerra Melencio

17 October 2009

MANILA-Another tropical storm “stronger than typhoon Pepeng” is heading to the direction of eastern part of Bicol and is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility this Saturday morning.

A low pressure area (LPA) is also eyed at a distance of 290 kilometers heading toward northern Luzon and the Visayan region that is expected to affect the north and northwestern part of Puerto Princesa in Palawan.

This LPA, however, may not turn into a storm.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is monitoring the forthcoming storm from Marianas Island in Guam to be named “Ramil” (with international code name “Lupit”) once it made a landfall.

PAGASA chief Nathaniel Cruz said that the storm is now being eyed at 1,300 kilometers in the eastern portion of Bicol with gusty wind of 75 up to 90 kilometers per hour.

He also said  that the LPA is moving toward west-northwestern part with strength of 26 kilometers per hour and heading toward the general direction of central and northern Luzon-Taiwan area.

Cruz said over a radio interview that ‘Ramil” may become a strong typhoon once it made a landfall in the Philippines.

In a related development, the intertropical convergence zone is currently affecting northern Luzon and the Visayas region as Friday had cloudy skies and rain showers with intermittent thunders and lightning.