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Typhoon conditions raised across NMI
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Posted on Oct 19 2004
Rota officials opened the doors of the Aging Center in Sinapalo to potential evacuees as Typhoon Nock-ten approached closer to the island.
Gov. Juan N. Babauta placed Rota under typhoon condition II yesterday, which means that Nock-ten’s winds might be felt on the island within 24 hours. The governor placed Tinian and Saipan under condition III, which meant that typhoon conditions might be felt within 48 hours.
Nock-ten changed its forward direction to the west, threatening to pass close to Rota possibly this afternoon, according to Emergency Management Office deputy director Mark S. Pangelinan.
Pangelinan advised Saipan and Tinian residents to closely monitor the movement of the typhoon, as the National Weather Service predicted yesterday afternoon that Nock-ten would gradually move west-northwest.
Pangelinan said Saipan’s evacuation centers have yet to be opened as of press time.
As of 1pm yesterday, the EMO said the typhoon wielded maximum sustained winds of 100mph with higher gusts, while moving westerly at 14mph. The NWS located the typhoon about 395 miles south-southeast of Saipan and Tinian, and 350 miles southeast of Rota.
“Typhoon Nock-ten will continue to intensify over the next 24 hours. Typhoon-force winds extended outward up to 70 miles and damaging winds of up to 170 miles from the center,” the EMO said.
The typhoon maintained the 100-mph wind strength it had in the morning, when it was moving westerly at only 9mph. At 7am, the EMO said Nock-ten was about 415 miles southeast of Saipan and Tinian, and about 385 miles southeast of Rota.
Nock-ten intensified to typhoon Monday. About 5pm that afternoon, Nock-ten gained strength, packing 85mph-winds, while moving west-southwest. By that time, the EMO located the center of the typhoon about 530 miles southeast of Saipan and Tinian, and 520 miles east-southeast of Rota.
The threat of Nock-ten came about after tropical storm Tokage spared the islands from a direct hit sometime last week.
The EMO advised residents to closely monitor the typhoon’s developments through the media, the emergency information hotline at 322-0220/0222, or the EMO’s website at www.cnmiemo.gov.mp.
