PAGASA Sounds Alarm: 'Uwan Could Redraw Coastlines' if Super Typhoon Hits Full Force
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration ([translate:PAGASA]) warns that Super Typhoon Uwan could cause catastrophic damage and potentially redraw the Philippine coastline. The storm threatens millions of lives as it approaches.
Uwan, previously known as Typhoon Fung‑Wong, is rapidly intensifying and may become a super typhoon by Sunday evening or early Monday. The storm's reach extends from the northern province of Batanes to Bohol in the Visayas, putting a large portion of the country at risk.
Storm Details and Risks
- Current maximum sustained winds: around 120 km/h
- Wind gusts: up to 150 km/h
- Expected storm surges: 3 metres or more in low-lying coastal areas of eastern Luzon
Areas most threatened by these surges include Quezon (Polillo Islands), Catanduanes, Albay, and Sorsogon.
"The statement 'redraw coastlines' stems from the agency's warning of storm surges up to and exceeding 3 metres in low-lying coastal areas of eastern Luzon."
A report from International Business Times UK explains that such storm surges, combined with strong winds and heavy rain, can drastically alter beachfronts, flood villages, erode shorelines, and reshape local topography.
Summary: PAGASA warns that Super Typhoon Uwan's powerful winds and storm surges pose a severe threat to eastern Luzon's coastal regions, with potential to alter landscapes and endanger millions.