Tropical storm "Dante" (international name "Choi-wan") continued to move near the southern part of Eastern Visayas on Tuesday afternoon, June 1, and will likely make landfall over Eastern Samar or Leyte by Tuesday evening or early Wednesday morning, June 2.
As of 1 p.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) estimated the location of the center of Dante at 220 kilometers (km) east-northeast of Maasin City, Southern Leyte or 125 km east-southeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar.
It has maintained its maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness up to 90 kph while moving slightly slower at 15 kph.
In its 2 p.m. bulletin issued on Tuesday, tropical cyclone wind signal No. 2 was hoisted over Catanduanes, southern portion of Camarines Sur, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Island, Albay, Sorsogon, Eastern Samar, Samar, Northern Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Dinagat Islands, and Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands.
Signal No. 1 was also raised over Quezon including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, the rest of Camarines Sur, Marinduque, Romblon, Aklan, Capiz, northern and central portion of Iloilo, northern portion of Negros Occidental, Bohol, northern and central portions of Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands, the rest of Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, northeastern portion of Misamis Oriental, and Camiguin.
Strong winds, heavy to intense rainfall
In the next 24 to 36 hours, Dante is expected to bring strong winds to gale-force winds in areas under Signal No. 2, while strong winds may affect areas under Signal No. 1.
Moreover, in the next few hours, PAGASA said the storm will bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Samar, and Eastern Samar, and moderate to heavy rains over Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Northern Samar, Bohol, northern portion of Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands, Sorsogon, and Masbate.
Light to moderate with at times heavy rains will also affect Catanduanes, Albay, Camarines Sur, Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Sur, Camiguin, Bukidnon, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, the rest of Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.
"Under these conditions and considering antecedent rainfall, scattered flooding including flash floods and rain-induced landslides are highly likely, especially in areas with high or very high susceptibility to these hazards as identified in hazard maps," PAGASA warned.
"Adjacent or nearby areas may also experience flooding in the absence of such rainfall occurrence due to surface runoff or swelling of river channels," it added.
In its current forecast track, PAGASA said tropical storm Dante will likely have its initial landfall over Eastern Samar or Leyte between Tuesday evening and early Wednesday morning.
Dante may maintain its strength before landfall then weaken into a tropical depression by Friday, June 4, and a low pressure area by Saturday, June 5.