Due to the westward track of tropical storm Paeng (international name: Nalgae), the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is not ruling out a possible close approach or landfall in Eastern Samar or Northern Samar on Friday afternoon or evening, Oct. 28.
In its bulletin issued at 2 p.m. on Friday, PAGASA last spotted Paeng 155 kilometers (km) east-northeast of Borongan City, Eastern Samar or 245 km east-southeast of Catarman, Northern Samar.
It was moving westward at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour (kph), while it maintained maximum sustained winds of 75 kph near the center and gusts of up to 90 kph.
“Afterwards, Paeng will move generally west-northwestward and may traverse the Bicol Region tonight (Oct. 28) through tomorrow morning (Oct. 29). Between tomorrow afternoon and evening, the center of Paeng may make another landfall over the east coast of Quezon, including Polillo Islands, or Aurora,” it added.
Due to the expected “strong” to “gale force” winds from the storm, tropical cyclone wind signals were raised in many parts of the country on Friday afternoon.
Signal No. 2 was hoisted over Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Marinduque, northern portion of Romblon, Quezon including Polillo Islands, eastern portion of Batangas, southeastern portion of Laguna, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, and northern portion of Leyte.
Meanwhile, Signal No. 1 was up in the rest of Romblon, the rest of Laguna, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands, Oriental Mindoro, Calamian Islands, Cuyo Islands, the rest of Batangas, Cavite, Metro Manila, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Zambales, Pangasinan, La Union, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, central and southern portions of Isabela, Ifugao, southern portion of Ilocos Sur, southwestern portion of Mountain Province, Southern Leyte, Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands, Bohol, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Guimaras, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Siquijor, the rest of Leyte, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, northern portion of Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, northeastern portion of Agusan del Sur, Camiguin, and eastern portion of Misamis Oriental.
Heavy to torrential rains may also prevail over Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas.
Moderate to intense rains may also affect Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, Quezon, Caraga, Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Northern Mindanao, and the rest of Visayas.
Light to heavy rains are also possible over Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Aurora, Cagayan Valley, and the rest of Mindanao.
“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.