The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) placed six areas in Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2, as storm Paeng (international name: Nalgae) continues to further intensify over the warm waters of the Philippine Sea.
In its 5 a.m. bulletin issued on Friday, Oct. 28, PAGASA raised Signal No. 2 over Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, eastern portion of Camarines Sur, Northern Samar, and northern portion of Eastern Samar.
Signal No. 1 was also hoisted over Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Camarines Norte, the rest of Camarines Sur, Romblon, Marinduque, Quezon including Pollilo Islands, Laguna, Rizal, Samar, the rest of Eastern Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, northern portion of Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands and northern portion of Surigao del Sur.
Areas under Signal No. 2 may experience winds of “gale force strength,” while areas under Signal No. 1 may experience “strong” winds.
PAGASA said Paeng was packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 90 kph.
“Paeng is forecast to further intensify while moving over the warm waters of the Philippine Sea. It is forecast to reach typhoon category as it moves very close to Bicol Region. The occurrence of rapid intensification within 48 hours ,” it said.
According to PAGASA, the highest wind signal that may be raised will be Signal No. 4.
Landfall over Bicol by Saturday ‘not ruled out’
PAGASA last spotted the storm 410 kilometers east of Borongan City, Eastern Samar, and it was moving westward at 15 kph.
It said tropical storm Paeng may move west-northwestward over the Philippine Sea until Sunday, Oct. 30, while moving toward the central or southern portion of Luzon.
“On the forecast track, Paeng may make landfall or pass very close to Catanduanes tomorrow morning (Oct. 29). Another landfall scenario is likely on Sunday morning (Oct. 30) over Aurora or the east coast of Quezon, including Polillo Islands,” PAGASA said.
“Considering the southward shift in the forecast track, a possible landfall in the eastern portion of Bicol Region is not ruled out at this time,” it pointed out.
Brace for heavy rains
From Friday to early Saturday, PAGASA said heavy to torrential rains are possible over Bicol Region, Northern Samar, Samar, and Eastern Samar.
Moderate to intense rains over also possible over Western Visayas, Marinduque, Romblon, and Quezon, while light to heavy rains may prevail over Caraga, Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Northern Mindanao, mainland Cagayan Valley, Aurora, Rizal, Laguna, and the rest of Visayas.
From early Saturday to Sunday morning, heavy to torrential rains may prevail over Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Aurora, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, and Bicol Region.
Meanwhile, moderate to intense rains may persist in Metro Manila, mainland Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, Western Visayas, Marinduque, Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, and the rest of Central Luzon.
Light to heavy rains may also prevail over the rest of Luzon and Visayas.
“Under these conditions, flooding and rain-induced landslides are expected, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps and in localities with significant antecedent rainfall,” PAGASA warned.