Weather
Vongfong, aka. Ambo, barrels into Philippines’ east coast

Typhoon Vongfong (aka. ‘Ambo’ in the Philippines) has made landfall, forcing tens of thousands of people to quickly evacuate whilst in the middle of lockdown amid their local Covid-19 outbreak. The typhoon struck the Phillipines east coast islands around Samar at around noon yesterday. Around 200,000 people living in the coastal areas near Samar have been affected.
Vongfong packed winds of at least 185 kph -around the equivalent of a category 3 hurricane.
The coronavirus lockdown complicated the evacuation although similar evacuations for tropical storms is not unfamiliar for Philippines residents at this time of the year. More than 50 million people are currently living under strict lockdown rules imposed by President Rodrigo Duterte. In order to combat its spread, evacuation centers in the central Philippines will only be filled to half capacity, according to Reuters. Evacuees will be expected to wear face masks.
Vongfong is the first named tropical storm for the 2020 West Pacific storm season. The Philippines currently has 11,876 cases of the disease, according to worldometers.com.
The small, but intense, typhoon is tracking north up the eastern islands and will turn northwest and weaken as it again moves out to sea late on Saturday. Heavy rain is expected to continue over parts of the Philippines, including the vast Visayas and Bicol regions and northern Luzon island.
Due to the Philippines’ location in the tropical Pacific, the archipelago is hit by around 8 to 10 storms in an average year.
The only difference between a ‘hurricane’ and a ‘typhoon’ is the location where the storm occurs. In the North Atlantic, central North Pacific, and eastern North Pacific, the term hurricane is used. In the Northwest Pacific and West Pacific, it is called a ‘typhoon’. In the southern hemisphere the same weather systems rotate in the opposite direction and are called ‘cyclones’.
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Find more SE Asian News courtesy of The Thaiger.
Broke? Find employment in Southeast Asia with JobCute Thailand. Rich? Invest in real estate across Asia with FazWaz Property Group. Even book medical procedures worldwide with MyMediTravel, all powered by DB Ventures.

Weather
Vamco weakens into tropical storm, misses northern Thailand altogether

Typhoon Vamco, which killed some 67 people when it stormed through the middle of Luzon island late last week, has turned into a tropical storm which will have minor effects on Thailand’s weather over the next few days. Isolated light to moderate rains will be likely over the Northeast and the North today as a result… Vamco will track on through northern Laos.
Category 2 tropical depression has been declined as the active low pressure over Pakxan, Laos. It is forecast to be dispersed upward. There remains isolated light to moderate rains likely over the Northeast and the North in the following next day. Farmers should prevent for crop damage.
Typhoon Vamco made landfall over Dong Hoi, central Vietnam yesterday, already weakened after its trip westwards across the South China Sea, becoming a tropical storm. The storm is forecast to continue to dissipate as the eye crosses Laos and may track north, completely missing Thailand.
Typhoon Goni swept across The Philippines just 10 days before Vamco cut its way through many of the same communities, bringing storm surges and destruction through low-lying mid-Luzon communities. Evacuations have dislodged over 500,000 people during the past 2 typhoons.
Watch a video of Vamco as it cut through The Philippines HERE.
SOURCES: AccuWeather | TMD
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Weather
Fair weather for Thailand’s north east this weekend despite incorrect warnings

The Thai Meteorological Department has incorrectly forecast the tracking of the tropical storm ‘Vamco’, instead warning Thais to “brace for the impact of Typhoon Vamco over the weekend”, according to Bangkok Post.
But the track of the storm is not even forecast to reach the far north of Thailand until late Monday or Tuesday, although there could be some rain and higher-than-usual winds in some locations. Indeed, the reliable forecast for many of the north eastern and northern Thai provinces for the forecast period is for mostly sunny conditions, according to AccuWeather (below).
As of yesterday, the Typhoon Vamco had killed at least 42 people in The Philippines, as residents returned to devastated homes following the worst flooding in years around Manila and nearby provinces. The typhoon cut a path similar to another typhoon just 10 days before, through the middle of the northern Luzon island.
Tracking Vamco – AccuWeather
Weather.com – Khon Kaen
Weather.com – Chiang Mai
The Thai Meteorological Department noted that the eye of the storm yesterday was in the South China Sea, about 500 kilometres east of Da Nang in Vietnam and is expected to make landfall early morning Sunday. But the tropical depression will lose a lot of its impact once it crosses the Vietnamese coastline and tracks north westwards through Vietnam and Laos.
“It is expected to make landfall over Vietnam by 15 November 2020 and then downgrade, respectively. Isolated light to moderate rain is likely over the Northeast and the North, during 15-16 November 2020.”
Meanwhile, heavy rain and have featured in the central south, including Koh Samui and Chumpon, flooding many areas. Areas in all eight districts of Chumpon province have been effected. Parts of the Asia Highway, running north-south, have been under water.
SOURCES: AccuWeather |weather.com | Bangkok Post | TMD
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Weather
Vamco kills 7 as typhoon-weary communities mop up in northern Philippines | VIDEO

‘Vamco’, aka Ulysses in The Philippines, is now a severe tropical storm heading westward towards the central Vietnamese coastline after making landfall on The Philippines yesterday as the latest typhoon. At least 7 people have died and 12 others missing after Vamco made landfall on Wednesday night.
A 68 and 70 year old are among those killed. More than 180,000 people were evacuated before the typhoon battered the countryIn one of the worst typhoon years on record, Vamco barrelled into communities that were devastated by Super Typhoon Goni just 10 days before.
Typhoon Vamco was equivalent in force to a Category 2 hurricane or cyclone. It made landfall at 11pm Philippines time near Patnanungan, Quezon, then kept tracking westward, making another landfall in Luzon. The storm again caused flooding and 2-3 metres of storm surge and local landslides.
Philippine President Duterte cut short his attendance of an online meeting of south east Asian leaders to visit some of the damaged areas hit by Typhoon Vamco. His inspection followed a speech where he urged his fellow ASEAN leaders to urgently combat the effects of climate change.
The major typhoon, the 8th to hit The Philippines over the past 2 months and the 21st tropical storm of the year, pushed residents higher ground or to scramble onto rooftop of their houses awaiting rescue after 10s of thousands of homes were submerged.
People killed across The Philippine’s main north island of Luzon, home to over half of the country’s 109 million population, included people who drowned in the storm surges and flooding. Vamco struck areas still recovering from Typhoon Goni, the most powerful typhoon in the world this year. It killed 25 people and destroyed thousands of homes 10 days ago when it slammed into the same communities.
Vamco now heads towards the Vietnamese coast and is situated in the middle of the South China Sea, but has lost a lot of its power and is now rated as a sever tropical storm.
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)3 days ago
Thailand’s rich not eligible for 3,500 baht government handout
- Thailand2 days ago
Thailand to introduce 300 baht “tourism fee” to insure foreign visitors, manage tourist destinations
- Business3 days ago
Future of Thai department stores is being redefined
- Crime3 days ago
Thai brothers charged with trafficking Thai women to Brunei for prostitution
- Bangkok3 days ago
Bangkok condo prices expected to continue to fall this year
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)3 days ago
CCSA Update: 271 new Covid-19 cases and 2 deaths
- Pattaya3 days ago
Pattaya massage shop raided for allegedly violating closure order
- Air Pollution3 days ago
Air pollution at “unhealthy levels” in 64 areas in Bangkok