4 areas remain under Signal No. 3 as Jolina crosses Samar

Four areas remained under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 on Tuesday as Typhoon Jolina continued to move west northwestward over Samar Sea toward Masbate.

In its 8 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Jolina -- which made its fourth landfall at Almagro, Samar at 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday -- is seen to make another landfall in the vicinity of Masbate within 12 hours.

"Beyond the next 12 hours, 'JOLINA' will move northwestward towards Burias Island and the vicinity of Ragay Gulf before making another landfall in the vicinity of southeastern Quezon tonight or tomorrow early morning," it added.

Jolina first made landfall in the vicinity of Hernani, Eastern Samar at 10 p.m. on Monday. After that, it made landfalls at Daram and Sto Niño, both in Samar.

Jolina is expected to weaken into severe tropical storm due to "prolonged interaction with land," PAGASA said.

Storm signals

PAGASA said TCWS No. 3 was hoisted over the following areas:

• The northern and eastern portions of Masbate (Pio V. Corpuz, Palanas, Cataingan, Placer, Dimasalang, Uson, Cawayan, Esperanza, Mobo, Aroroy, Baleno, City of Masbate, Mandaon, Milagros) including Ticao and Burias Islands
• The extreme western portion of Northern Samar (San Vicente, Capul, San Isidro, San Antonio),
• the northern portion of Biliran (Kawayan, Maripipi, Almeria),
• the northwestern portion of Samar (Santo Niño, Tagapul-An, Almagro, Calbayog City)

TCWS No. 2, meanwhile, was raised over the following areas:

• Albay,
• Sorsogon,
• the rest of Masbate,
• 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 western portion of Camarines Norte (Capalonga, Jose Panganiban, Labo, San Vicente, San Lorenzo Ruiz, Santa Elena),
• Marinduque,
• the southern portion of Quezon (Tagkawayan, Guinayangan, Buenavista, Mulanay, San Narciso, San Francisco, San Andres, Catanauan, Calauag, General Luna, Lopez, Macalelon, Perez, Alabat, Quezon, Atimonan, Padre Burgos, Agdangan, Unisan, Pitogo, Gumaca, Plaridel),
• the eastern portion of Romblon (San Fernando, Magdiwang, Cajidiocan, Romblon, Banton, Corcuera)
• 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)

Under TCWS No. 1 are:

• Catanduanes,
• the rest of Camarines Sur,
• the rest of Camarines Norte,
• the rest of Quezon including Polillo Islands,
• Laguna,
• Cavite,
• Batangas,
• Metro Manila,
• Bulacan,
• the rest of Romblon, 
• Oriental Mindoro
• The rest of Northern Samar,
• the rest of Eastern Samar,
• the rest of Leyte,
• the northern portion of Southern Leyte (Silago, Bontoc, Sogod), 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 northern portion of Aklan (Malay, Nabas, Ibajay, Tangalan, Makato, Numancia, Lezo, New Washington, Kalibo, Batan, Altavas)
• the northern portion of Capiz (Pilar, Panay, Roxas City, Sapi-An, Ivisan, Pontevedra, Panitan, President Roxas, Ma-Ayon)

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, PAGASA said.

As of 7 a.m., the center of Jolina's eye  was estimated based on all available data over the coastal waters of Almagro, Samar (12.0°N, 124.3°E) packing maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 150 km/h, and central pressure of 990 hPa.

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.

Forecast

PAGASA said by Wednesday afternoon, Jolina will briefly emerge over Lopez Bay before making yet another landfall in the vicinity of northern Quezon.

Throughout the remainder of Wednesday and into Thursday morning, Jolina is forecast to cross Central Luzon, roughly to the east and north of Metro Manila.

Jolina is forecast to emerge over the West Philippine Sea before noon on Thursday.

"Re-intensification is forecast to occur beginning on Thursday afternoon as the tropical cyclone moves west northwestward over the West Philippine Sea towards the southern China-northern Vietnam area," PAGASA said. —KBK, GMA News