Quinta intensifies into a severe tropical storm; Signal No. 2 up over 13 areas

At least 13 areas were placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 on Sunday morning as Tropical Storm Quinta intensified into a severe tropical storm threatening the Bicol region, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said TCWS No. 2 was hoisted over the following areas:

• Catanduanes
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands
• central and southern portions of Quezon (Mauban, Sampaloc, Lucban, Dolores, Candelaria, Tiaong, San Antonio, Sariaya, Tayabas City, Lucena City, Pagbilao, Atimonan, Perez, Alabat, Calauag, Quezon, Tagkawayan, Guinayangan, Lopez, Pitogo, Plaridel, Gumaca, Unisan, Agdangan, Padre Burgos, Macalelon, Catanauan, General Luna, Buenavista, San Narciso, Mulanay, San Andres, San Francisco)
• Batangas
• Marinduque
• Romblon
• Oriental Mindoro
• Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island
• Northern Samar

Meanwhile, PAGASA said Signal No. 1 was raised over the following areas:

• The rest of Quezon
• Laguna
• Rizal
• Cavite
• Metro Manila
• Bulacan
• Pampanga
• Bataan
• southern portion of Zambales (San Marcelino, San Felipe, San Narciso, Castillejos, Subic, San Antonio, Olongapo City, Botolan, Cabangan)
• Calamian Islands
• northern portion of Samar (Calbayog City, Matuguinao, Tagapul-An, Santo Nino, Almagro, Santa Margarita, Gandara, San Jose de Buan, Pagsanghan, Tarangnan, San Jorge, Catbalogan City, Jiabong, Motiong, Paranas)
• northern portion of Eastern Samar (Maslog, Jipapad, Arteche, San Policarpo, Oras, Dolores, Can-Avid, Taft)
• northern portion of Capiz (Sapi-An, Ivisan, Roxas City, Panay, Pilar, Pontevedra, President Roxas)
• Aklan
• northern portion of Antique (Caluya, Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, Culasi)
• northeastern portion of Iloilo (Batad, Balasan, Estancia, Carles)
   

Expected landfall

PAGASA said Quinta developed into a severe tropical storm around 8 a.m., and is expected to make landfall over the Catanduanes-Albay-Sorsogon area either on Sunday afternoon or evening, PAGASA said.

Due to Quinta, moderate to heavy with at times intense rains will be experienced over Bicol Region, CALABARZON, Aurora, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Marinduque, Calamian Islands, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Aklan, and Antique.

Same weather conditions are expected over Cagayan, Isabela, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte due to the tail-end of a frontal system, PAGASA added.

Due to the two weather systems, light to moderate with at times heavy rains will be experienced Metro Manila, Cordillera Administrative Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangsamoro, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and the rest of Visayas, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and MIMAROPA.

Flooding, gale conditions

PAGASA warned of possible flooding, rain-induced landslides, and sediment-laden stream flows like lahars during heavy or prolonged rainfall especially in areas prone to these hazards.

Areas under Signal No. 2 are expected to experience gale conditions, while those under Signal No. 1 will have strong breeze to near gale conditions.

Due to the northeasterly surge, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, the northern coastal areas of Ilocos Norte,  and mainland Cagayan will experience strong breeze to gale conditions.

PAGASA warned of possible storm surge of one to two meters over the coastal areas of Northern Samar, Bicol Region, and the central and southern portions of Quezon.

Rough to very rough seas will be experienced over the entire seaboards of Northern Luzon (up to 5.5 m) and the seaboards of Aurora, Zambales, northern Palawan including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands (up to 4.5 m). Areas under Signal No. 1 and 2 (up to 5.5 m) may also experience the same sea condition.

“Sea travel is risky over these waters, especially for small sea crafts,” PAGASA warned.

Other seaboards of the country will have moderate to rough seas (up to 2.8 m)

“Mariners of small sea crafts are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea. Inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating in these conditions,” PAGASA added.

At 10 a.m., Quinta was located at 180 km East of Virac, Catanduanes with maximum sustained winds of 95 km per hour and gustiness of up to 115 kph. It is moving westwards at 25 kph.

Quinta will cross the Southern Luzon area until Monday afternoon and turn west-northwestward over the West Philippine Sea.

PAAGSA said Quinta is projected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday afternoon. —Joviland Rita/KG/LBG, GMA News