Signal No. 2 up over parts of Eastern Samar, Samar, Dinagat Islands due to Agaton

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 was hoisted over parts of Eastern Samar, Samar, and Dinagat Islands on Sunday as Tropical Storm Agaton intensified, PAGASA said in its weather bulletin.

The specific areas under TCWS No. 2 are:

• the southern portion of Eastern Samar (Guiuan, Mercedes, Salcedo, Quinapondan, Giporlos, Balangiga, Lawaan, General Macarthur, Hernani, Llorente);
• the extreme southern portion of Samar (Marabut); and 
• the northern portion of Dinagat Islands (Loreto, Tubajon).

These areas have gale-force winds prevailing or may expect within the next 24 hours.

TCWS No. 1 meanwhile was raised over:

• the rest of Eastern Samar;
• the rest of Samar;
• Northern Samar;
• Biliran;
• Leyte;
• Southern Leyte;
• Camotes Islands;
• Surigao del Norte; and
• the rest of Dinagat Islands.

Areas under TCWS will have strong winds (strong breeze to near gale conditions).

At 4 a.m., Agaton's center was located over the coastal waters of Guiuan, Eastern Samar (11.1°N, 125.9°E).

It has maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 80 km/h, and central pressure of 998 hPa.

Agaton is moving west northwestward at 10 km/h.

It was while it was moving west northwestward over the coastal waters of Guiuan, Eastern Samar when Agaton intensified into a tropical storm.

From Agaton's center, strong winds or higher than that category are extending outwards up to 220 km. 

Rainfall

Eastern Visayas and Dinagat Islands will have heavy to intense rains, at times torrential, on Sunday.

Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Bohol, and the northern and central portions of Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands meanwhile will have moderate to heavy with at times intense rains.

Masbate, Sorsogon, northern Mindanao, and the rest of Visayas and Caraga on the other hand will have light to moderate with at times heavy rains.

On Monday, Eastern Visayas, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, and the northern portion of Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands will have moderate to heavy with at times intense rains. Masbate, Sorsogon, and the rest of Visayas and Caraga meanwhile will have light to moderate with at times heavy rains.

PAGASA said scattered to widespread flooding (including flooding) and rain-induced landslides may occur in areas prone to these hazards.

Coastal waters

Sea travel may be risky in the next 24 hours for most seacraft over the seaboards of areas under TCWS Nos. 2 and 1 as coastal waters will be rough to very rough. Waves may reach up to 5 meters tall.

As for the remaining seaboards of the country not under any TCWS or gale warning, coastal waters will be moderate to rough (with waves up to 3.4 meters) in the next 24 hours. Sea travel may be risky for those with small seacraft.

Track

PAGASA said Agaton is expected to remain almost stationary or move west northwestward slowly on Sunday through late Monday or early Tuesday as it traverses the southern portion of Eastern Samar and its coastal waters.

"Considering its erratic movement, there is an increasing likelihood of landfall over the southern portion of Eastern Samar in the next several hours," PAGASA said.

By mid-Tuesday, Agaton may gradually accelerate turning eastward as it interacts with the incoming tropical cyclone with an international name of Malakas.

"Agaton is forecast to degenerate into a remnant low as Malakas begins to assimilate its circulation by late Tuesday or early Wednesday," PAGASA said.

The weather bureau advised the public and disaster risk reduction and management offices concerned to take the necessary measures to protect life and property.

PAGASA said the next tropical cyclone bulletin will be issued at 8 a.m. —KG, GMA News