MANILA, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Typhoon Kammuri is forecast to enter the Philippines this weekend as the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games formally open, the state weather bureau said on Thursday.
In its 5 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Kammuri was spotted at 3 p.m. approximately 1,425 kilometers east of Visayas region in the central Philippines packing maximum sustained winds of up to 130 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of 160 kph.
The weather bureau said Kammuri intensified into a typhoon on Thursday as it slows down while moving west-northwestward at 10 kph. The typhoon is expected to enter the Philippines on Saturday or Sunday.
PAGASA added the typhoon will bring scattered rains and thunderstorms over the Bicol region, south of Manila, and Eastern Visayas region.
The bureau is also looking into a possible change in the cyclone's current track. But even if Kammuri recurves north, a landfall is still likely over Southern or Central Luzon where the venues of the SEA Games are located.
The Philippines is to host the 2019 SEA Games which will officially start on Nov. 30, and will formally close on Dec. 11.
Ramon Suzara, Chief Operating Officer of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC), said they are ready to make sure SEA Games, particularly the opening ceremony, will not be affected by the typhoon.
The 30th SEA Games is the biggest as it features 56 sports and over 530 events spread across 39 venues in Subic in Zambales province, Tagaytay City, La Union province, Batangas province and Metro Manila, among others - areas where could be affected by the typhoon.
Over 10,000 athletes and coaches from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Singapore and Vietnam will participate in the biennial sports meet, the organizers said.
Typhoon Kammuri will be the 20th typhoon to batter the Philippines this year.
