Songda's Silver Lining

Central Weather Bureau Keeps Eye on Tropical Storm (The China Post)

While Philippines gears up for the possible onslaught caused by tropical storm Songda (Chedeng), some 2,000km away in Taiwan, there is both caution and hope that it could bring much needed rain to drought affected areas.

Image courtesy of www.philstar.com

Songda, meaning “red tributary” in Vietnamese, was preceded earlier this month by Tropical Storm Aere, which brought rain to the nation’s east coast and Hengchun Peninsula.

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Bureau forecaster Lin Ding-yi (林定宜) said that while the storm was still very far from Taiwan, people should not underestimate its force.

“It [the storm] formed at sea,” he said. “The water vapor and heat it absorbs at sea will cause it to become stronger. The crucial time of observation would be on Wednesday or Thursday, when we can better determine if it will affect Taiwan.”

Nonetheless, Lin said that chances of rain were high nationwide tomorrow and Wednesday as another frontal system is forecast to arrive today.

'Severe' storm nears Philippine coastlines (www.philstar.com)

In an advisory issued this morning, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Atmospheric Services Administration (PAGASA) disclosed that typhoon Chedeng has entered Philippine seawaters past 2:00 a.m. today.

As of 4:00 a.m., “Chedeng” (international codename: Songda) was traced at 880 kilometers east of Guiuan town in Eastern Samar, packing up a maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour near the center.

PAGASA said the storm’s gustiness could reach as high as 120 kph while moving west-northwest at 13 kph, and is expected to make landfall between Tuesday or Wednesday.

Early today, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) has advised residents in the country’s eastern seaboard to brace for the coming storm.

In a television interview, NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos said residents in low-lying areas must need to evacuate and find shelter in safer grounds.

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He also called on the concerned local government units to carry out preemptive evacuation measures to avoid any casualty from the brewing storm.