Signal No. 2 up over parts of Eastern Samar, 3 other areas due to Agaton

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 was raised over parts of Eastern Samar and three other areas on Monday morning due to Tropical Storm Agaton (international name: Megi), PAGASA said in its bulletin.

TCWS No. 2 is in effect over the following specific areas:

• the southern portion of Eastern Samar (Giporlos, Balangiga, Lawaan);
• the southern portion of Samar (Daram, Zumarraga, Villareal, Talalora, Santa Rita, Pinabacdao, Basey, Marabut);
• Biliran; and
• the northern portion of Leyte (Dulag, Julita, Dagami, Jaro, Tabontabon, Carigara, Capoocan, Barugo, Tunga, Alangalang, Pastrana, Tanauan, Palo, Tolosa, Santa Fe, Tacloban City, San Miguel, Babatngon, Leyte, Calubian).

Gale-force winds are prevailing or may be expected within the next 24 hours in areas under TCWS No. 2.

TCWS No. 1 meanwhile was hoisted over:

• the southern portion of Masbate (Dimasalang, Palanas, Cataingan, Pio V. Corpuz, Esperanza, Placer, Cawayan);
• the rest of Eastern Samar;
• the rest of Samar;
• Northern Samar;
• the rest of Leyte;
• Southern Leyte;
• the northeastern portion of Cebu (Daanbantayan, Medellin, City of Bogo, San Remigio, Tabogon, Borbon, Tabuelan, Sogod, Catmon, Carmen, Danao City, Compostela, Liloan, Tuburan, Asturias) including Bantayan and Camotes Island; 
• the eastern portion of Bohol (Candijay, Mabini, Alicia, Ubay, San Miguel, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Trinidad, Bien Unido, Talibon, Getafe);
• Surigao del Norte; and
• Dinagat Islands

Areas under TCWS No. 1 have strong winds prevailing or may expect  within the next 36 hours.

At 4 a.m., Agaton's center was located over the coastal waters of Tanauan, Leyte (11.1°N, 125.1°E).

It has maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 90 km/h, and central pressure of 998 hPa.

Agaton is moving west northwestward slowly. At 5 a.m. it was over San Pablo Bay.

Agaton is expected to slowly loop in the vicinity of northeast Leyte and southern portions of Samar and Eastern Samar on Monday through Tuesday, then emerge over the Philippine Sea by Tuesday evening.

By then it will interact with another tropical cyclone with the international name Malakas, which will be renamed Basyang when it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

Rainfall

Eastern Visayas, Masbate, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, and the northern and central portions of Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands will have moderate to heavy with at times intense rains on Monday.

Dinagat Islands, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and the rest of Bicol Region and Visayas meanwhile will have light to moderate with at times heavy rains.

On Tuesday, Sorsogon, Masbate, Eastern Visayas will have moderate to heavy with at times intense rains. Dinagat Islands, Romblon, and the rest of Visayas on the other hand will have light to moderate with at times heavy rains.

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

Coastal waters

The seas will be rough to very rough in the next 24 hours over the seaboards of areas under TCWS Nos. 2 and 1. Sea travel may be risky for most seacraft.

As for areas in the rest of the country that are not under any TCWS, coastal waters will be moderate to rough, which may be risky for small seacraft.

Outlook

Agaton is expected to weaken into a tropical depression, and by Wednesday evening may become a low pressure area assimilated within the circulation of Malakas.

PAGASA advised the public and disaster risk reduction and management offices concerned to take the necessary precautions.

Effects

Three individuals were killed in Negros Oriental due to Agaton while several areas in the Visayas and Mindanao experienced flooding due to the rains brought by the storm.

Cebu City has been placed under a state of calamity due to persistent heavy rainfall.

Classes have been canceled in some areas due to the bad weather brought by Agaton. —KG, GMA News