EMO hoists typhoon watch

The Emergency Management Office yesterday placed the islands on typhoon watch as tropical storm Chaba churned closer to the Marianas region, possibly with greater wind strength than Typhoon Tingting. Chaba is projected to hit the region possibly within the next two days.

Although Chaba was still several hundred miles from the islands as of yesterday, it was already packing winds of almost typhoon-strength. Its relatively slow forward movement of 10mph may allow Chaba to further intensify before it makes landfall on the islands.

As of 1pm yesterday, weather forecasters located the storm about 790 miles east of Saipan, 795 miles east of Tinian, and 825 miles east of Rota.

Its wind strength reached 70mph while moving westward at 10mph, wielding damaging winds that extend up to 100 miles from the center. Chaba’s wind strength quickly escalated from 60mph at about 7am yesterday. At that time, it was moving west-northwest from some 875 miles east of Saipan at 9 mph.

In the afternoon, Chaba maintained its 70mph winds until 4pm, reaching 795 miles east of Rota and 750 miles east of Saipan by 4pm.

EMO director Rudolfo Pua said he would notify government offices to secure their premises once Chaba intensifies to a typhoon. Based on the forecast, Chaba would become a typhoon by nighttime.

A storm elevates into a typhoon when wind strength reaches at least 75mph. Once wind strength intensifies to at least 150mph, the weather disturbance becomes a supertyphoon.

However, the EMO has yet to activate the emergency operation center as of press time. Once the EOC is activated, evacuation centers would be opened up for those who might need to temporarily vacate their homes.

The EMO also placed the islands of Alamagan, Pagan, and Agrihan on typhoon watch. Forecasters located Chaba at about 855 miles east-southeast of Agrihan, 815 miles east-southeast of Alamagan, and 835 miles east-southeast of Pagan as of 1pm yesterday.

The EMO cautioned small sea vessels of high surf, while expecting a rainy weekend.

The threat of Chaba comes amid recovery efforts in line with a presidential declaration of a major disaster in the CNMI due to the onslaught of Tingting last June 28.

Tingting was packing 70mph winds during its closest approach on Saipan. It was elevated into a typhoon as it was passing through the Northern Islands. With Tingting’s eye passing as close as 45 miles northeast of Saipan, the storm left several houses destroyed or damaged and trees knocked down. Its record-breaking rainfall caused massive flooding on Saipan.