The air is shattered by the sound of tearing metal and the fury of the sea. Super Typhoon Uwan, known internationally as Fung-wong, has officially made landfall over Dinalungan, Aurora, striking mainland Luzon with catastrophic force.
This is the most dangerous point of the storm, as the eye—the core of the typhoon—unleashes its peak intensity, bringing winds of up to 185 km/h and gusts soaring to 230 km/h.
The landfall, which occurred at 9:10 PM today, immediately plunged vast areas into an ‘Extreme threat to life and property,’ with communities under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 5 now facing the worst of the typhoon-force winds.
The impact zone is immense, stretching hundreds of kilometres, threatening millions across Northern and Central Luzon with destructive winds, life-threatening storm surges, and torrential rainfall. The nation must now brace for the storm’s brutal traverse across the mountainous spine of Northern Luzon.
Super Typhoon Uwan: Landfall and the ‘Extreme Threat’ Zone
The centre of the eye of Super Typhoon Uwan was initially located 85 km East Southeast of Baler, Aurora, moving northwestward at a rapid 30 km/h before striking the Dinalungan coastline. The sustained winds of 185 km/h near the centre mean that areas under TCWS No. 5 face an immediate, severe danger.
The TCWS No. 5 zone, facing “Typhoon-force winds” of 185 km/h or higher, includes:
- The northern and central portion of Aurora (including Dinalungan, Baler, and Casiguran).
- The southeastern portion of Nueva Vizcaya.
- The northeastern portion of Nueva Ecija.
- The southern portion of Quirino.
Directly surrounding this core are regions under TCWS No. 4, facing ‘Significant to severe threat to life and property’ from winds between 118 to 184 km/h. This wide area includes the rest of Aurora, the rest of Nueva Ecija, parts of Isabela, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, and northern Quezon.
The massive scale of the storm is evident in the extent of its wind field: strong to typhoon-force winds extend outwards up to 900 km from the centre. This means that nearly the entire island of Luzon is now under some level of severe weather warning, from TCWS No. 1 up to the catastrophic No. 5.
Super Typhoon Uwan: The Dual Threat of Surge and Sea Chaos
Beyond the destructive winds, the most dangerous threat comes from the sea. Super Typhoon Uwan is generating life-threatening storm surge and rendering sea travel virtually impossible.
- Storm Surge: There is a “high risk of life-threatening and damaging storm surge” with peak heights exceeding 3.0 m within the next 48 hours. This risk spans low-lying coastal communities across Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, and the Bicol Region.
- Sea Chaos: Up to “very rough, high, or very high seas” are expected. Waves can reach heights of up to 14.0 moff the seaboards of Isabela, Aurora, and Camarines Norte.
The warning to mariners is unambiguous: ‘Sea travel is risky for all types or tonnage of vessels. All mariners must remain in port or, if underway, seek shelter or safe harbour as soon as possible until winds and waves subside.’
Following landfall, the storm is forecast to traverse the mountainous terrain of Northern Luzon, which should cause it to ‘weaken significantly,’ but it is expected to remain classified as a typhoon throughout this passage.
It is projected to emerge over Lingayen Gulf or the coastal waters of Pangasinan or La Union tomorrow morning, before heading towards the Taiwan Strait by Wednesday.
The warning remains for the public to follow all evacuation and safety instructions, as the storm’s heavy rainfall and severe winds will be felt far beyond the track of its centre.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
