Mekkhala Strikes Philippines With Heavy Rain, Gusty Winds

By Eric Leister, Meteorologist

January 18,2015; 10:14PM,EST

 

 

Mekkhala made landfall in northern Samar Island on Saturday night (local time), and will continue to bring heavy rain to eastern Luzon through Monday.
Although Mekkhala has weakened to a tropical depression and will continue to weaken, the threat for flooding rain will remain into the start of the week.
In eastern Luzon, 50-100 mm (2-4 inches) of rain is expected and a few areas could see as much as 200 mm (8 inches) of rain leading to the threat for flooding and potential mudslides. As of Sunday night, local time, nearly 300 mm (12 inches) has fallen in Catarman in northern Sumar. In southeastern Luzon 259 mm (10.2 inches) fell in Legaspi.

 

Samar is one of the areas hardest hit by former Super Typhoon Haiyan, locally known as Yolanda. Pope Francis was visiting eastern Visayas to interact with people who were severely impacted by this tragedy only a little more than a year ago.
Pope Francis's visit to Tacloban City on Samar Island was cut short by 4 hours due to the approaching storm, according to Yahoo News. Tacloban is about 100 miles from where Mekkhala made landfall.
A plane carrying Philippine government officials went off the runway Saturday afternoon, local time, at the Tacloban airport, just after the papal airplane took off, ANC-CBN News Channel in the Philippines reported.

A wheel on the plane apparently exploded as the pilot attempted his departure.
The plane was carrying at least 11 officials, including two Cabinet members: Paquito "Jojo" Navarro Ochoa Jr., the Executive Secretary of the Philippines, and Herminio B. Coloma Jr., the Secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office, ABS-CBN reported. All the passengers were safe after the incident.
RELATED:
Manila Detailed Forecast
Philippines Weather Center
Tacloban Detailed Forecast
Pope Francis shakes the hands of the faithful after celebrated his final Mass in Manila, Philippines, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015. Millions filled Manila's main park and surrounding areas for Pope Francis' final Mass in the Philippines on Sunday, braving a steady rain to hear the pontiff's message. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
On Sunday, the Pope held an outdoor mass in Manila at Rizal Park. BBC News reported that an estimated 6 million people attended the ceremony, according to city officials. Most in attendance were exposed to rainfall through the service. thankfully, rainfall was luck lighter than in other portions of the country as Ninoy Aquino International Airport only saw 5 mm (0.2 of an inch) of rain on Sunday.
AccuWeather.com Meteorologists Courtney Spamer and Dave Samuhel and Staff Writer Mark Leberfinger contributed content to this story.