España corner Blumentritt in Sampaloc, Manila is impassable on July 24, 2024 due to flooding. Val Cuenca, ABS-CBN News

MANILA —  PAGASA said it cannot compare yet this week’s habagat to the 2009 storm Ondoy until the weather event has ended.

PAGASA weather specialist Veronica Torres said that Tropical Storm Ondoy, which hit the Philippines in 2009, brought around 300 mm of rain within six hours. Current data shows that that habagat (Southwest Monsoon), which was enhanced by Typhoon Carina, had already brought more than 200 mm of rain since from Tuesday, the rain happened across a 24-hour period.

"Para ma-compare kasi natin itong si Ondoy kay Carina kailangan makumpleto sana muna natin ang data natin until umalis na or makalayo na si Carina at wala na ang habagat na ine-enhance niya so after ng event na yun doon natin titignan ang data pag aaralan yung data," she said.

(To compare Ondoy and Carina, we need to collect data until Carina moves away and the habagat is over. So, we can only look at the data after the event) 

In September 2009, Tropical Storm Ondoy dumped more than 450 mm of rain in 24 hours, as measured in Science Garden, Quezon City. The storm led to one of the worst flooding in Metro Manila and nearby areas.

READ: 'Carina' now a super typhoon 

Carina, meanwhile, has intensified into a super typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 230 km/h.

According to PAGASA, Carina is moving northwestward at 20 km/h and is forecast to make landfall over the northern portion of Taiwan this evening.

“On the track forecast, the super typhoon will cross the rugged terrain of Taiwan and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) tomorrow (25 July) morning,” it said.

RAIN STILL EXPECTED IN PARTS OF LUZON

“Carina has reached its peak intensity as Super Typhoon prior to its landfall over Taiwan due to favorable environment. Its landfall over northern Taiwan will trigger a weakening trend for the rest of the forecast period.”

Torres said 100 - 200 mm of rainfall is expected within the next 24 hours in Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Abra, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, and Occidental Mindoro; and 50-100 mm in the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Ecija, and the rest of CALABARZON.

On Thursday, 100 - 200 mm of rainfall is expected in Benguet and Abra; 50-100 mm in Metro Manila, Cavite, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, rest of locos Region, Abra, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, and Occidental Mindoro.

READ: Heavy to intense rains forecast to persist until Thursday 

STRONG WINDS 

The Southwest Monsoon enhanced by Carina will also bring strong to gale-force gusts over the following areas (especially in coastal and upland areas exposed to winds): 

• Today: Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, the eastern portion of Isabela, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, BARMM, and Davao Region

• Thursday (25 July) Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, the eastern portion of Isabela, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Negros Occidental, and Northern Samar

• Friday (26 July) Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, the eastern portion of Isabela, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, and Western Visayas.