MANILA, Philippines- Typhoon "Frank" slightly changed course anew Saturday night and will likely hit Metro Manila early Sunday, state weather forecasters said.
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) weather branch head Nathaniel Cruz said "Frank" will likely be "felt" in Metro Manila at 5 to 6 a.m.
"Instead of moving toward Mindoro then to the South China Sea, yung track posibleng tumama sa Metro Manila, at diretso sa Zambales bago pumunta South China Sea then lalabas ng Philippine Area of Responsibility (Instead of moving toward Mindoro then to the South China Sea, it may hit Metro Manila then Zambales before going to the South China Sea and exiting the Philippine area of responsibility)," he said at a press conference.
He said Metro Manila is now under Storm Signal 3, adding this will mean likely stormy weather Sunday in Metro Manila, with "air, land and sea travel not advisable."
Cruz said "Frank" slightly weakened as it traversed inland waters of Romblon but still packed maximum sustained winds of 120 kph and gustiness of up to 150 kph.
As of 10 p.m., it was 70 km southeast of Calapan.
Under Storm Signal 3 are Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Lubang Island, Marinduque, Romblon, Batangas, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, Bataan, Bondoc Peninsula, and Metro Manila.
Under Storm Signal 2 are Calamian Island, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, rest of Quezon, Polilio, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, Southern Aurora; Antique, Aklan, Capiz and Burias Islands.
Under Signal 1 are North Palawan, Masbate, Ticao Island, Albay, the rest of Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan; Iloilo, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental.
Cruz said "Frank" has also enhanced the southwest monsoon to bring rains and winds to other parts of the country.
Also Saturday, National Disaster Coordinating Council spokesman Anthony Golez Jr. said they are still compiling reports of casualties.
Golez, who was at the press conference, said President Arroyo ordered before leaving for the United States that the NDCC should "make sure we are going to warn areas that are going to be hit," especially Calabarzon sub-region and Metro Manila.
He said this would allow local officials to conduct evacuation if needed in low-lying areas before midnight.
Meanwhile, a ferry carrying about 700 people was stranded in wind-whipped waters off the coast of the central Philippines on Saturday as Typhoon "Frank" battered the country, killing 17, officials said.
Coast guard chief Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said the MV Princess of Stars, owned by Sulpicio Lines, was "dead in the water" after its engine failed around noon near the central Philippine island of Sibuyan.
Sulpicio port captain Nestor Ponteres said they had lost radio contact with the ship, which last reported that it had run aground and was listing.
Cebu coast guard spokesman Cmdr. Antonio Cuasito said a rescue vessel sent to the area was forced to return to its home port in Batangas city because of big waves. Another rescue ship was deployed from central Cebu city, where the Princess of Stars was headed when it left Manila late Friday, but it was unclear when it would reach the area.
Typhoon "Frank" had gained strength after lingering over and battering Romblon island, close to Sibuyan, for about three hours Saturday, Cruz said.
The typhoon was packing sustained winds of 100 miles per hour and gusts of up to 122 mph. It was forecast to move northwest toward Mindoro island.
"It slowed down but that helped it gain strength," Cruz said.
He said it was enhancing the seasonal monsoon, dumping large volumes of rain and flooding wide areas on the main southern Philippine island of Mindanao and central Panay island.
In southern Maguindanao province, at least 14 people drowned in flash floods, including 10 who were swept away from riverside homes, said provincial administrator Norie Unas. Five others were missing.
In nearby Cotabato city, a 50-year-old man and his 10-year-old grandson were killed when a landslide buried their hillside shanty, Mayor Muslimin Sema said.
In neighboring Cotabato province, authorities recovered the body of a farmer, one of three people reported missing.
Officials said neck-deep flood waters had risen further due to a high tide, forcing the evacuation of 5,000 people in Sultan Kudarat township in southern Shariff Kabunsuan province, near Cotabato city.
Officials ordered the evacuation of more than 117,000 people from areas prone to floods and landslides in central Albay province. But many returned home by midday Saturday after the typhoon missed the area.
The National Disaster Coordinating Council reported flooding, landslides and power outages caused by toppled power pylons in many areas in the central Philippines.
Big waves prompted the coast guard to suspend ferry services, stranding hundreds of passengers traveling to central islands, the agency said.
Airport authorities said 90 flights to and from 12 cities in the central Philippines had been canceled because of the typhoon. - GMANews.TV with a report from AP
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