Tropical storm "Dante" (international name "Choi-wan") made its seventh and eighth landfall over Tingloy, Maricaban Island, Batangas at 7:20 p.m., and over Calatagan, Batangas at 8 p.m., Wednesday, June 2, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
Since Tuesday evening, June 1, Dante has made eight landfalls. Other landfalls were in Sulat, Eastern Samar; Cataingan, Masbate; Balud, Masbate; Romblon, Romblon; San Agustin, Romblon; and Pola, Oriental Mindoro.
In its 11 p.m. bulletin issued on Wednesday, PAGASA said Dante is already heading towards the Bataan Peninsula-southern Zambales area for another possible landfall.
Tropical cyclone wind signal No. 2 remains hoisted over the extreme northern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Puerto Galera), extreme northern portion Occidental Mindoro (Paluan, Lubang Islands, Abra de Ilog) including Lubang Islands, Batangas, Cavite, Bataan, southwestern portion of Bulacan (Calumpit, Bulacan, City of Malolos, Paombong, Hagonoy), western portion of Pampanga (Masantol, Macabebe, Sasmuan, Lubao, Floridablanca, Porac, Guagua, Santa Rita, Angeles City, Mabalacat City, Minalin, Bacolor), Zambales, western portion of Tarlac (Bamban, Capas, San Jose, Mayantoc, Camiling, Santa Ignacia, San Clemente), and western portion of Pangasinan (Bolinao, Anda, Bani, Agno, Burgos, Infanta, Dasol, City of Alaminos, Mabini, Sual, Labrador, Bugallon, Aguilar, Mangatarem, Bayambang, Urbiztondo, Basista, Malasiqui, San Carlos City, Santa Barbara, Mangaldan, Dagupan City, Calasiao, Binmaley, Lingayen).
Signal No. 1 is still up in the rest of the northern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Bansud, Gloria, Pola, Pinamalayan, Socorro, Victoria, Naujan, Baco, City of Calapan, San Teodoro), the rest of the northern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Sablayan, Calintaan, Mamburao, Santa Cruz), western portion of Quezon (San Antonio, Tiaong, Candelaria, Sariaya, Dolores, Lucban, City of Tayabas, Lucena City, Sampaloc), Laguna, Metro Manila, Rizal, the rest of Bulacan, the rest of Pampanga, the rest of Tarlac, western portion of Nueva Ecija (Science City of Muñoz, Lupao, Cuyapo, Talugtug, Guimba, Nampicuan, Quezon, Licab, Santo Domingo, Talavera, Cabanatuan City, Santa Rosa, Aliaga, Zaragoza, Jaen, San Antonio, Cabiao, San Isidro, San Leonardo, City of Gapan, Peñaranda), the rest of Pangasinan, southern portion of Benguet (Itogon, Tuba, Sablan, Baguio City, La Trinidad, Kapangan, Tublay), and La Union.
Meanwhile, PAGASA said wind signals in other areas have been lifted.
PAGASA said Dante is still expected to bring strong winds to gale-force winds in areas under Signal No. 2, and strong winds in areas under Signal No. 1 within 24 to 36 hours.
In the next 24 hours, moderate to heavy with at times intense rains will persist over the northern portion of Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands, northern portion of Oriental Mindoro, Batangas, Cavite, Bataan, Zambales, and Pangasinan.
Dante may also bring light to moderate with at times heavy rains over Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Metro Manila, Calamian Islands, Romblon, Marinduque, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Occidental Mindoro, and Oriental Mindoro.
PAGASA reminded the public that under these conditions and considering antecedent rainfall, "scattered to widespread flooding, including flash floods, and rain-induced landslides are expected, especially in areas with high or very high susceptibility to these hazards as identified in hazard maps."
It added that adjacent or nearby areas may experience flooding in the absence of such rainfall occurrence due to surface runoff or swelling of river channels.
After its possible landfall over Bataan Peninsula-southern Zambales area, PAGASA said Dante will emerge over the West Philippine Sea off the western coast of Pangasinan by Thursday morning, June 3.
"A turn to the north northeast is likely tomorrow evening," it added.
PAGASA said Dante has maintained its maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph in its 11 p.m. bulletin.
"Given the present track forecast scenario, Dante is forecast to maintain its strength within the next 12 hours while passing over the western coast of Luzon," PAGASA said.
"However, there remains a possibility that the storm may be downgraded into a tropical depression during the same period if it tracks more inland, where the terrain is more rugged, such as over the Zambales Mountain Range. Nevertheless, Dante is forecast to eventually weaken into a tropical depression by tomorrow evening and into a remnant low by Saturday, June 5," it said.