Powerful Typhoon Parma made landfall over the already storm-batteredPhilippines on Saturday evening, local time. Parma had weakened slightly sincehaving maximum sustained winds of 150 mph early Thursday, but was still adangerous typhoon at the time of landfall.Parma, locally called Pepeng, struck the northeastern shore of Luzon, the largenorthern island province around 5 p.m. It had sustained winds of 92 mph withgusts to 115 mph. Trees and power lines came down with the winds, whiledangerous surf battered the coast.
House frames were all that remained insome areas east of Manilla, Philippines, due to the destruction and floodingcaused by Ketsana. (AP Photo/Pat Roque)Tens of thousands were evacuated ahead of the storm to seek safer shelter. Theareas near where the storm made landfall in northeastern Luzon are not heavilypopulated and consist mostly of fishermen and farmers.The entire nation was put under a "state of calamity," late in the week,giving the government expanded power.
Flooding rain will continue to be the biggest threat with the storm, both inManilla and surrounding areas. More than 10 inches of rain fell at Tuguegarroon Saturday. Deadly flash flooding and mudslides are expected, especially inmountainous areas. Flooding rains will linger for several days as Parma becomesnearly stationary. Rainfall amounts will be measured in feet across parts ofLuzon.
Some areas around Manilla are still waist-deep under floodwaters left fromTropical Storm Ketsana which struck the region last Saturday. The storm broughtmassive flooding to Manila, the Philippine capital, with close to 20 inches ofrain falling in some areas.
Rainfall amounts will exceed 20 inches across parts of Luzon. Due to the slowmovement of the typhoon, rain totals could reach 40 inches by Monday.
While winds are weakening, since the storm made landfall, strong winds couldstill down power lines and trees, especially in water-logged areas. Housesdirectly in the path of the typhoon could still suffer damage as well.
Conditions are expected to slowly improve early in the week. There is, however,some concern that Parma stalls or slows to a crawl north of Luzon. That wouldallow more torrential rain to countinue as late as Monday or Tuesday.
Story by AccuWeather.com Meteorologists Meghan Evans.
