Stormy weather over Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas as Jolina moves across Samar island

Four areas were placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 on Tuesday as Typhoon Jolina emerged over the Samar Sea and started crossing the island municipalities of Samar province, according to the Severe Weather Bulletin posted by PAGASA at 5 a.m. on Tuesday.

TCWS No. 3 was hoisted over the following areas:

LUZON

• the eastern portion of Masbate (Pio V. Corpuz, Palanas, Cataingan, Placer, Dimasalang, Uson, Cawayan, Esperanza, Mobo) including Ticao Island

VISAYAS

• the extreme western portion of Northern Samar (San Vicente, Capul, San Antonio, San Isidro)
• the northern portion of Biliran (Kawayan, Culaba, Caibiran, Maripipi, Almeria)
• the northern and central portions of Samar (City of Catbalogan, Tarangnan, Jiabong, Motiong, Paranas, Calbiga, Pinabacdao, Villareal, Talalora, Daram, Zumarraga, San Sebastian, Hinabangan, Pagsanghan, Santo Niño, Tagapul-An, Almagro, Santa Margarita, Gandara, San Jorge, Calbayog City)

TCWS No. 2 was raised over the following areas:

LUZON

• Albay
• Sorsogon
• the rest of Masbate including Burias Island
• the western and southern portions of Camarines Sur (Del Gallego, Lupi, Ragay, Libmanan, Sipocot, Cabusao, Pasacao, Pamplona, Gainza, Camaligan, Canaman, Magarao, Bombon, Naga City, Pili, Ocampo, Iriga City, Sagñay, Buhi, Milaor, San Fernando, Minalabac, Bula, Nabua, Baao, Balatan, Bato, Calabanga)
• the eastern portion of Marinduque (Torrijos, Santa Cruz)
• southeastern portion of Quezon (Tagkawayan, Guinayangan, Buenavista, Mulanay, San Narciso, San Francisco, San Andres, Catanauan, Calauag, General Luna, Lopez, Macalelon)
• the eastern portion of Romblon (San Fernando, Magdiwang, Cajidiocan, Romblon, Banton, Corcuera)

VISAYAS

• the rest of Biliran
• the western portion of Northern Samar (Silvino Lobos, Lope de Vega, Catarman, Bobon, San Jose, Rosario, Lavezares, Biri, Allen, Victoria, Mondragon)
• the rest of Samar, the central and southern portions of Eastern Samar (Can-Avid, Taft, Sulat, San Julian, City of Borongan, Maydolong, Balangkayan, Llorente, General Macarthur, Quinapondan, Hernani, Salcedo, Mercedes, Guiuan, Balangiga, Lawaan, Maslog, Dolores, Giporlos)
• the northern portion of Leyte (Calubian, San Isidro, Tabango, Leyte, Villaba, Matag-Ob, Ormoc City, Kananga, Carigara, Jaro, Dagami, Julita, Tabontabon, Tolosa, Tanauan, Palo, Pastrana, Santa Fe, Tacloban City, Barugo, San Miguel, Alangalang, Dulag, Tunga, Babatngon, Capoocan)

TCWS No. 1 with strong winds prevailing or expected within 36 hours was raised over:

LUZON

• Catanduanes
• the rest of Camarines Sur
• Camarines Norte
• the rest of Quezon including Polillo Islands
• Laguna
• the eastern portion of Batangas (Santo Tomas, Lipa City, San Jose, Batangas City, Ibaan, Rosario, Padre Garcia, San Juan, Taysan, Lobo, City of Tanauan, Malvar, Balete, Mataasnakahoy, Cuenca, San Pascual)
• the rest of Marinduque
• the rest of Romblon
• the northern and central portions of Oriental Mindoro (City of Calapan, Naujan, Victoria, Socorro, Pola, Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas, Baco, San Teodoro, Puerto Galera)

VISAYAS

• the rest of Northern Samar
• the rest of Eastern Samar
• the rest of Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• the northern portion of Cebu (Carmen, Tuburan, Catmon, Sogod, Tabuelan, Borbon, Tabogon, San Remigio, City of Bogo, Medellin, Daanbantayan) including Camotes and Bantayan Islands
• the northeastern portion of Iloilo (Concepcion, Sara, San Dionisio, Batad, Estancia, Carles, Balasan)
• the extreme northern portion of Capiz (Pilar, Panay, Roxas City)

The weather bureau reported that TCWS No. 1 over Dinagat Islands has been lifted.

Destructive typhoon-force winds are likely to occur in areas under TCWS No. 3  and damaging gale-force to storm-force winds are likely to occur in areas under TCWS No. 2.

Meanwhile, strong winds with occasional gusts will be experienced in areas under TCWS No. 1.

The Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas will be stormy brought about by the typhoon, with possible flash floods or landslides due to moderate to heavy rains.

Southern Quezon, Marinduque, Romblon, and Northern Cebu will have rains with gusty winds also due to the typhoon with possible flash floods or landslides due to light to moderate to at times heavy rains.

Metro Manila, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, and the rest of Mimaropa, Calabarzon, and Visayas will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the typhoon and the Southwest Monsoon. Flash floods or landslides may occur during severe thunderstorms.

The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms with possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms.

As of 4 a.m., the center or the eye of Typhoon Jolina (international name: Conson) was estimated to be over the coastal waters of Sto. Niño, Samar with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 180 kph, and central pressure of 990 hPa.

Jolina was moving west northwestward at a speed of 20 kph with strong winds or higher extend outwards up to 180 km from the center.

Coastal waters

Typhoon Jolina will bring rough to very rough seas (2.5 to 5.0 m) over the seaboards of areas where TCWS No. 2 and No. 3 are in effect.

Sea travel is risky for all types of seacrafts over these waters. Mariners without the proper experience should immediately seek safe harbor.

Moderate to rough seas will be experienced over the seaboards of areas under TCWS No. 1, the remaining seaboards of Visayas, and northern eastern seaboards of Mindanao.

Mariners of small seacraft are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea. Inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating in these conditions.

Forecast track

The typhoon has made landfall twice on Tuesday, so far, in Daram town and the town of Sto Niño both in Samar.

PAGASA said the typhoon first made landfall in the vicinity of Hernani, Eastern Samar at 10 p.m. on Monday.

It is forecast to move over the Samar Sea and pass over or close to the island municipalities of Samar and the northern coast of Biliran before making landfall in the vicinity of Masbate (mainland or Ticao Island). During this period, Jolina may weaken into a severe tropical storm.

Jolina is forecast to emerge over the West Philippine Sea before noon on Thursday and re-intensify beginning on Thursday afternoon as the tropical cyclone moves west northwestward over the West Philippine Sea towards the southern China-northern Vietnam area.

Effects

No major damage has so far been reported, but the province of Eastern Samar has had a power outage, Governor Ben Evardone said on Dobol B TV on Tuesday.

However, they are currently conducting a rapid assessment with emergency teams and personnel from the local government unit.

The governor said Hernani, Eastern Samar Mayor Amado Candido told him a highway was rendered unpassable and some structures with light materials were damaged.

Evardone said they already advised fishermen not to venture out into the sea on Monday in anticipation of the strong waves caused by the typhoon.

Classes and flights were also canceled in some areas due to the bad weather caused by Jolina. —BAP/KG, GMA News