SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, April 2) – Tropical Storm Kong-Rey 01W was expected to hit Rota at about 2 p.m. today, according to the Emergency Management Office.
The weather forecast chart released by EMO yesterday showed the center of the storm approaching Rota with winds of 90 mph.
Tropical storm condition 3 was declared for the island of Rota, and a typhoon watch was declared for Saipan and Tinian as of 5 p.m.
The storm was expected to intensify and could become a typhoon by this morning.
As of yesterday, Kong-Rey 01W was moving northwest at 16 miles per hour with maximum sustained winds at 50 mph as it moved toward the Marianas.
EMO Director Gregorio A. Deleon Guerrero, in a telephone interview, said most government agencies have readied emergency response plans.
At 4 p.m. yesterday, the center of the storm was located about 545 miles southeast of Tinian and Saipan, and 540 miles east of Rota.
The advisory stated that Gov....