By Joseph B.A. Marzan
Iloilo province was spared from the wrath of Typhoon Rolly (International name: Goni) as it made headway into the country Sunday morning, according to the province’s chief disaster official.
A report by the Washington Post touted Rolly as “2020’s strongest typhoon” as it intensified into a Super Typhoon at around 2 am Sunday morning.
As it hit Catanduanes in the Bicol Region, it had maximum sustained winds of up to 195 kilometers per hour, only matching Super Typhoon Meranti, which hit the southern part of Taiwan and Southern China in 2016.
It was even compared with Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013, which hit parts of Panay, including several towns in northern Iloilo.
Iloilo Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) chief Jerry Bionat said that the province was not heavily affected by Rolly.
He added that the only disturbance caused by Rolly were heavy rains and winds in Batad on Sunday morning, with very minimal damage.
According to him, the “Amihan” or northeast monsoon was not strong enough to pull the storm towards Panay.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 was raised by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Saturday in several areas of Panay as “Rolly” entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
These included the northern portion of Antique (Sebaste, Culasi, Tibiao, Barbaza, and Laua-An), the northern portion of Iloilo (Lemery, Sara, Concepcion, San Dionisio, Batad, Estancia, Balasan, Carles), and the whole of Aklan and Capiz.
Bionat clarified that although TCWS No. 1 was raised in areas of the province, it did not mean that it would be hit directly by the storm.
Areas under TCWS No. 1 may be affected by a typhoon within 36 hours.
The estimated time of the storm’s arrival in the area may be multiplied with its movement, which is measured in kilometers per hour, to come up with the approximate distance of the storm.
Bionat explained that since “Rolly” moved at an estimated 20 kilometers per hour, it should be multiplied by 36, which meant that the approximate distance of the storm from the areas under TCWS No. 1 was around 720 kilometers.
Under TCWS No. 1, an area may only be affected by the outer rainband of the storm.
A rainband is a structure of clouds associated with an area of rainfall.
Despite the lower TCWS, he said that Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. strengthened the province’s operation center in the Capitol and met with key officials on Sunday morning to monitor the situation.
As of 5 p.m. on Sunday, the PAGASA in its Severe Weather Bulletin (SWB) No. 17, had already lifted the TCWS over Panay Island.
The SWB indicated that “Rolly” was located at 50 kilometers southwest of Tayabas, Quezon, with maximum sustained winds of up to 165 kilometers per hour, gusts of up to 230 kilometers per hour, and a westward movement of up to 25 kilometers per hour.
Typhoons strengthen as its center, or the “eye” gathers energy over warm water in open seas, and weakens as it goes over landmasses due to lack of sources of warm water.
In the case of the Philippines, it would only intensify if it exits a landmass and meets another open sea.
