Super Typhoon Bopha (Bagyong Pablo) Update #17 [LANDFALL]

Bopha (Bagyong Pablo) has rapidly intensified into a monster Category 5 Super Typhoon in the past 6 hours. The system is now making landfall near the town of Baganga (south of Cateel) in the province of Davao Oriental. Maximum sustained winds are now at 260kph with gusts of up to 315kph. Super Typhoon Bopha is moving just north of west (275 degrees) at a speed of 30kph. It's location to some cities include:
20km East of Baganga
40km Southeast of Cateel
80km Southeast of Bislig
100km East Northeast of Tagum
150km East Northeast of Davao City

Super Typhoon Bopha is the strongest system to make landfall in Mindanao in over two decades! This system will be taking nearly the same track as Tropical Storm Washi last year but Bopha is more than twice as strong!

Unfortunately, if you are still reading this along the coastal areas, do not get out now, instead just hunker down and hope for the best. Meanwhile, if you are inland and are still getting light winds, now is the time to move to higher ground and to evacuation areas!

IR Image from NRLMRY

Latest satellite image shows the eye of Bopha just 20km off the coast of Davao Oriental. Winds of up to 200kph are lashing Baganga and nearby areas as we speak. Furthermore, storm surges of up to 5m (16ft) are pushing into coastal areas leaving the towns of Cateel, Lingig, Bislig, and Lianga vulnerable to major flooding. Aside from the winds and the waves, heavy rains of up to 30mm per hour are now falling across Eastsern Mindanao. We have already received reports of 50mm or more of rain and more will be falling throughout today.

Radar from Hinatuan Station from PAGASA (courtesy of ClimateX PH) showing the Eye of Bopha moving inland. Heavy rains falling across Surigao Provinces, Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental, and even into Agusan del Sur.

Super Typhoon Bopha will continue moving westward across Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, and Agusan del Sur through this morning. It will be weakening as it encounters terrain but will remain a pretty strong typhoon as it cross Mindanao. It will move through Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental by noon and early afternoon passing near the cities of Malaybalay, Iligan, and Cagayan de Oro.

Please listen to the local officials for the latest warnings and instructions for your area. We'll have another update later this morning (around 9am). Stay safe!
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Issued (21 UTC) 5am PhT 120412