Typhoon Kammuri to Hit PH, may Affect SEA Games

• Typhoon Kammuri may finally enter Philippine territory this weekend, potentially affecting the sporting competitions of the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
• PAG-ASA and NDRRMC warned over the weekend that Kammuri may bring rains and floods across most of Luzon, including Metro Manila.
• The opening ceremony of the 2019 SEA Games will begin this Saturday evening.

MANILA, Philippines—The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Saturday warned the public to prepare for the arrival of typhoon Kammuri this weekend, which could possibly bring rains and floods to the venues where the Southeast Asian Games are being held.

According to a bulletin released today by the state-run Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Kammuri will bring rains across most of Luzon, including Metro Manila, and isolated rain showers in Visayas and Mindanao.  The typhoon has maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour and is currently some 1,400 kilometers east of southern Luzon.

Kammuri’s winds could be strong enough to uproot trees and knock down powerlines the PAG-ASA told ABS-CBN News.

It is expected to hit the country by Saturday or Sunday if it continues to move at the same speed and direction, Rappler reports. Kammuri is expected to enter the Bicol region first, before moving towards Luzon.

The NDRRMC said flash floods could happen in the Ilocos region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Mimaropa. New Clark City, one of the SEA Games’ venues, is located is in Central Luzon.

“We cannot leave this storm to chance. Let us strengthen all preparedness efforts at the national, regional, and local government levels. We also advise affected residents to expect possible preemptive evacuations and take precautionary measures,” NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad told The Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Whether or not the games will be suspended due to inclement weather is up to the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee, led by Taguig Congressman Alan Peter Cayetano.—Coconuts

Category: News