Typhoon Ramon batters Cagayan

Typhoon Ramon made landfall past midnight Wednesday and battered coastal villages in Sta. Ana, Cagayan with strong winds and rains. It continued to move towards the southwest and weather bureau PAGASA said it will significantly weaken through the day as it interacts with land masses.

A report by Agence France-Presse said at least 5,000 people have fled their homes with Typhoon Ramon poised to blast into the northern Philippines late Tuesday, with a second tropical storm forecast to hit just days later.

“We’re expecting falling trees and houses that could be inundated by floods,” provincial police chief Ariel Quilang told AFP.

Forecasters believe a second tropical storm could make landfall in the same province by Thursday.

The disaster-prone nation is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year, killing hundreds and condemning many areas in their path to perpetual poverty.

The weather bureau raised landslide warnings across the mountainous interior of the country’s north, also warning of floods and waves up to two metres (6.5 feet) high in coastal areas.

At least a dozen domestic flights have been cancelled and schools shut down due to Kalmaegi, while small sea vessels were ordered to stay ashore with gale conditions forecast at sea.

The Philippines’ deadliest cyclone on record was Super Typhoon Haiyan, which left more than 7,300 people dead or missing in 2013.

Ramon on Tuesday caused the raising of the tropical cyclone wind signal (TCWS) No. 3 over the northern portion of Cagayan, namely Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros, Aparri, Calayan, Camalaniugan, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Gonzaga, Santa Ana, Allacapan, Lal-lo, Gattaran, Lasam, Baggao, Alcala, and Santo Niño.

Placed under TCWS No. 2 also on Tuesday were Batanes, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and the rest of Cagayan. Under TCWS No. 1 were Isabela, Mountain Province, Benguet, Ifugao, La Union and Pangasinan.