On August 6 (Philippines time), according to the latest weather forecast from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), tropical storm Kujira (local name Maymay) has moved into the Bangued area, Abra province on Luzon Island and continues to weaken after making landfall.
As of 8 am (local time), the storm center is located near Bangued, with maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h, gusts up to 110 km/h and is moving east at a speed of about 10 km/h.
PAGASA said that Storm No. 2 Warning Signal is still maintained in 6 areas in Northern Luzon, including Ilocos Norte, the northern and central part of Ilocos Sur, the western part of Apayao, the entire Abra province, the western and central part of Kalinga, and the western and central part of Mountain Province.
In addition, many other localities in Northern Luzon continue to be placed in Storm Warning Signal No. 1 due to the impact of the storm's circulation.
According to PAGASA's forecast, Typhoon Kujira will continue to pass through hilly areas in the North and Central Luzon Islands before reaching the sea east of Isabela or Cagayan provinces.
Due to friction with the high mountain terrain, the typhoon's intensity is forecast to decrease rapidly. PAGASA predicts that Kujira is likely to weaken into a tropical depression on the morning of August 6, before further decreasing into a remaining low pressure area in the afternoon or evening of the same day.
Notably, the Philippine meteorological agency said that the remaining circulation of Kujira will continue to move southeast and is likely to merge with the circulation of Hurricane Dolphin, which is active in the Northwest Pacific region.
However, PAGASA also noted that Kujira's weakening process may occur faster than forecast due to the impact of the rugged terrain on Luzon Island. If this happens, the remaining low pressure area will soon be drawn into the wider circulation of Hurricane Dolphin.
Philippine meteorologists recommend that people in storm-affected areas continue to follow official weather reports, and be wary of strong winds, heavy rain, flash floods and landslides in mountainous areas.
