NASA Captures Tropical Storm VongFong Form, Head Toward Philippines

A NASA satellite captured a tropical storm forming into a more "organized" storm threatening the Philippines. Residents expected to be affected by the typhoon are being advised to take precautionary measures for the country's first tropical cyclone of the year.

A low-pressure area in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean has formed into a tropical storm that could devastate the Philippines. On May 12, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on NASA's Aqua satellite captured an image of tropical storm VongFong, locally known as typhoon Ambo, already having a rounder shape compared to the day prior, indicating it is turning into a more "organized" storm.

The satellite also noted cooling cloud top temperatures. According to NASA, this means the cloud tops are going higher into the troposphere, which often meant stronger storms.

In the 5 a.m. bulletin from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on May 13, the entity noted VongFong is further intensifying as it is moving north-northwestward over the Philippine Sea. By May 14, moderate to heavy rains are already expected to affect Eastern Visayas, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate.

"Residents in these areas are advised to take precautionary measures, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and continue monitoring for updates, especially the local rainfall or thunderstorm advisories and heavy rainfall warnings from PAGASA Regional Services Divisions (PRSD)," PAGASA advised. "Flooding and rain-induced landslides may occur in highly to very highly susceptible areas during heavy or prolonged rainfall."

As such, residents in potentially affected areas are being advised to stay updated on the latest bulletins about VongFong, which is carried out by PAGASA every six hours.

"Disaster preparedness is activated to alert status," PAGASA notes. Families are being urged to inspect their houses for necessary repairs and to clean drainage systems ahead of the storm. Rice crops that can be yielded are also advised to be harvested, as the storm may cause significant damage to the crops during the flowering stage.

Tropical Storm VongFong is the first tropical cyclone of the Northwestern Pacific Ocean typhoon season and the first tropical cyclone for the Philippines in 2020.

Typically, the country experiences an average of 20 tropical cyclones in a year.

Just in April, "monster" cyclone Harold also tore through Fiji, destroying property and taking lives in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. The evacuees then were advised to practice social distancing to avoid COVID-19 from spreading among those affected by the cyclone.