Update:
Weathermen reported that at 10am today November 1, 2020 (6am UAE) the center of the eye of Typhoon Goni was located based on all available data, including Daet Doppler Radar over the coastal waters of Pasacao, Camarines Sur or 30 km West Southwest of Pili, Camarines Sur (13.5°N, 123.0°E).
Storm Signal No. 4 had been raised over Metro Manila, as the supertyphoon hammered a huge swathe of eastern Philippines en route to the Philippine capital.
Six provinces in eastern Philippines with about 5 million residents in an area at least 20 times bigger than Singapore are expected to take a direct hit from tropical storm Goni's fury (locally known as "Rolly") as it makes landfall on Sunday, according to an 11pm bulletin from Filipino weathermen on Satruday.
Tropical Cyclone Weather Signal (TCWS) No. 4 was hoisted over portions of Albay province as Goni drew close to the island of Catanduanes, and also threatening the eastern part of the Camarines Sur Province, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) stated in its latest update.
'World's strongest typhoon this 2020'
Evacuation of thousands of residents were ordered in the southern part of the main Luzon island as the "the world's strongest typhoon" this 2020 approaches the Southeast Asian nation. At least 3.5 million people will take the pummeling from the supertyphoon from Sunday.
Goni, with 215 kph (133 miles) sustained winds and gusts of up to 265 kph (164 mph), is seen barreling towards Bicol region in eastern Philippines on November 1, 2020.
Equivalent to Category 5 hurricane
Once its peak winds surpassed 150 mph (241 km/h), it qualified as a "super typhoon," which is equivalent to a strong Category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic. But it grew even more intense, comparable to a strong Category 5. Its leap in strength occurred over waters about 2 to 3 degrees (1 to 1.5 Celsius) warmer than normal. Such rapid intensification is made more likely by human-caused climate change, which has raised ocean temperatures globally.
It is the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines since Haiyan, which killed more than 6,300 people in November 2013 in the neighbouring province of Leyte.
ِِFollowing are the Bicol provinces placed under Signal No. 4:
- Albay (2,575 sq km; Population: 1.3 million)
- Camarines Sur (5,497 sq km; Population: 2 million)
- Catanduanes (1,492 sq km; Population: 260,000)
- Sorsogon (2,191 sq km; Population: 793,00)
- Quezon (8,707 sq km; Population: 1.8 million)
- Camarines Norte (2,320 sq km; Population: 583,000)
Towns/cities expected to take a direct hit from Goni's wrath in Camarines Sur (Storm Signal No. 4):
- Buhi
- Iriga City
- Baao
- Pili
- Naga City
- Bombon
- Calabanga
- Ocampo
- Sagnay
- Tigaon
- Goa
- Tinambac
- Siruma
- Lagonoy
- San Jose
- Presentacion
- Caramoan
Towns/cities of Albay under Signal No. 4:
- Tiwi
- Polangui
- Malinao
- Tabaco City
- Malilipot
- Bacacay
- Rapu-Rapu
Sorsogon towns/cities under Signal No. 4
- Sorsogon city
- Donsol
- Pilar
- Castilla
- Prieto Diaz
- Gubat
- Barcelona
- Juban
- Magallanes
Quezon Province towns/Cities under Signal No. 4
- Atimonan
- Padre Burgos
- Agdangan
- Plaridel
- Unisan
- Gumaca
- Pitogo
- Macalelon
- Catanauan
- General Luna
- Mulanay
- San Francisco
- San Andres
- San Narciso
- Buenavista
- Lopez
- Guinayangan
- Tagkawayan
- Calauag
- Quezon
- Alabat
- Perez
Other areas under Signal No. 4
- Marinduque
- Romblon (Concepcion, Corcuera, Banton)
Areas under Signal No. 3
- The rest of Camarines Norte
- Western part of Camarines Sur
- Western part of Albay
- Burias and Ticao Islands
- Northern Samar
- The rest of Quezon Province
- Laguna
- Eastern Batangas
- Rizal
- Polilio Islands
- Northern part of Oriental Mindoro
- Rest of Sorsogon
- Northern Masbate
