Tropical Storm Conson rolls across Philippines
By the CNN Wire Staff
July 13, 2010 -- Updated 2010 GMT (0410 HKT)
Conson made landfall with maximum sustained winds of 69 mph on the northern Philippine island of Luzon.
NEW: More than 1,300 people stranded across the Philippines
Conson makes landfall Tuesday evening on the Philippine island of Luzon
Weakened Tropical Storm Conson's maximum sustained winds were 69 mph at landfall
CNN meteorologist: Conson will pass through Philippines, head toward China
(CNN) -- Tropical Storm Conson rolled westward across the Philippines on Wednesday morning, stranding more than 1,300 people across the archipelago and forcing the Philippine National Disaster Coordinating Council to issue warnings about flash floods, landslides and big waves.
Conson made landfall with maximum sustained winds of 69 mph on the northern Philippine island of Luzon, about 41 miles east of the capital, Manila, on Tuesday evening. As of 10 p.m. Tuesday (10 a.m. ET), sustained winds were down to about 59 mph in the center, with gusts up to 74 mph, according to the National Disaster Coordinating Council.
The council said it knew of 19 missing fishermen, but the weather and choppy seas precluded officials from mounting search and rescue operations. Emergency responders were on alert, the council said.
The storm, known locally as "Basyang," became the first typhoon of 2010 on Monday before losing some steam.
But Conson's rains are potent enough still to cause flooding. The eastern Philippine island of Samar already has received about 4 inches of rain, according to Brandon Miller, CNN International's senior meteorologist. The National Disaster Coordinating Council said portions of Quezon City and Manila had flooded, with water ranging from "gutter deep" to 8 inches deep.
There were also power outages reported in Albay, the state-run Philippines News Agency said. However, all major roads and bridges were passable as of late Tuesday, the National Disaster Coordinating Council said.
Conson was expected to traverse the Philippines for 12 to 24 hours before heading across the South China Sea toward China, Miller said.
He predicted Conson would be a tropical storm when it hits the Chinese mainland, probably Friday.
