Parts of Cagayan, Isabela, Babuyan under Signal No. 3 due to Florita

Parts of Cagayan and Isabela, as well as the southern portion of Babuyan Islands, were under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 on Tuesday morning due to Severe Tropical Storm Florita, PAGASA said.

In its 8 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said under TCWS No. 3 — where "storm-force winds" were prevailing or expected within 18 hours — were the following:

• southern portion of Babuyan Islands (Camiguin Is., Fuga Is., Dalupiri Is.),
• northern and eastern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros, Aparri, Buguey, Camalaniugan, Santa Teresita, Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Lal-Lo, Gattaran, Baggao, Peñablanca)
• eastern portion of Isabela (Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan)

PAGASA warned that the winds in these areas could pose "moderate to significant threat to life and property."

Under TCWS No. 2, meanwhile, were the following:

• rest of mainland Cagayan,
• rest of Babuyan Islands,
• rest of Isabela,
• Quirino,
• the northern and eastern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Quezon, Diadi, Bagabag, Villaverde, Solano, Kasibu),
• Apayao,
• Abra,
• Kalinga,
• Mountain Province,
• Ifugao,
• the northern portion of Benguet (Buguias, Bakun, Mankayan, Kibungan),
• Ilocos Norte,
• Ilocos Sur, and
• the northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao)

On the other hand, the following areas were under TCWS No. 1:

• Batanes,
• the rest of Nueva Vizcaya,
• the rest of Benguet,
• La Union,
• Pangasinan,
• the eastern portion of Tarlac (San Clemente, Camiling, Moncada, San Manuel, Anao, Santa Ignacia, Gerona, Paniqui, Ramos, Pura, Victoria, La Paz, City of Tarlac, Concepcion),
• Nueva Ecija,
• the rest of Aurora,
• the eastern portion of Pampanga (Magalang, Arayat, Candaba),
• the eastern portion of  Bulacan (San Ildefonso, San Miguel, Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Rafael, Angat, Norzagaray, City of San Jose del Monte),
• the eastern portion of Rizal (Rodriguez, San Mateo, City of Antipolo, Tanay, Baras),
• the northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta, Real, Mauban, Perez, Alabat, Quezon, Calauag) including Polillo Islands,
• the northern portion of Laguna (Santa Maria, Famy, Siniloan, Pangil, Pakil, Paete), and
• Camarines Norte

Landfall within the day

According to PAGASA, Florita will continue to move generally northwestward and is expected to make landfall in the vicinity of northern Isabela — coast of Palanan, Maconacon, or Divilacan — on Tuesday morning or in the vicinity of Cagayan — coast of Gattaran, Baggao, or Peñablanca — before noon or by early afternoon.

Florita will traverse Northern Luzon after and emerge over the West Philippine Sea on Tuesday night.

Based on the forecast track, Florita may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday morning.

"Due to the slight shift in the track forecast, a slight intensification prior to landfall is not ruled out," PAGASA said.

"However, the frictional effects of the rugged terrain of Northern Luzon will cause FLORITA to slightly weaken."

Florita is expected to re-intensify once it is over the West Philippine Sea.

According to PAGASA, the center of Florita was estimated at 17.1°N, 122.8°E over the coastal waters of Palanan, Isabela as of 7 a.m. It has maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 115 km/h, and central pressure of 992 hPa.

PAGASA said Florita’s movement is north northwestward at 20 km/h. It also has strong to storm-force winds extending outwards up to 300 km from the center.

Rainfall

Heavy to intense with at times torrential rains will be experienced over Cagayan, Isabela, Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, and Zambales.

Northern portion of Aurora, Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal, and the rest of Cagayan Valley will experience moderate to heavy with at times intense rains.

Meanwhile, Camarines Norte, and the rest of Central Luzon and Calabarzon may have light to moderate with at times heavy rains.

PAGASA said that heavy to intense with at times torrential rains may pour over Ilocos Region on Wednesday early morning through afternoon.

Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains may also be experienced over Benguet and Abra, while light to moderate with at times heavy rains may be over the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region.

A Southwest Monsoon will also bring rains over Western Visayas, MIMAROPA and the rest of Bicol Region in the next 24 hours.

The state weather bureau thus warned that scattered to widespread flooding, including flash floods, and rain-induced landslides may occur especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps, and in localities with significant antecedent rainfall.

Winds

PAGASA said that winds may reach storm-force in strength in any of the areas where Wind Signal No. 3 is hoisted, while winds may reach gale-force in strength in any of the areas where Wind Signal no. 2 is hoisted throughout the passage of Florita.

Strong winds with strong breeze to near gale strength will also be experienced within any of the areas where Wind Signal no. 1 is currently in effect.

Relief ops ready

Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo, meanwhile, said relief operations are ready for areas in Northern Luzon that will be affected by Florita.

"Nakahanda po ang aming relief operations na nariyan na sa aming mga regional at provincial offices," he said on Facebook.

"Naghahanda na po ang aming mga tauhan ngayong umaga para sa food and non-food item distribution sa mga evacuation centers at iba pang lugar sa request po ng ating mga mayors and governors."

(Our relief operations are ready and they are already there at our regional and provincial offices. Our personnel are also ready this morning to distribute food and non-food items in evacuation centers and other places as requested by mayors and governors.)

So far, 134 families or 518 individuals were displaced by Florita. Of this number, 98 families were inside evacuation centers and 33 outside evacuation centers.

Currently, there are seven evacuation centers being used. 

Cagayan, Isabela, Bulacan

A total of 180 families or 543 individuals were preemptively evacuated in Cagayan Valley and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) due to Florita, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Tuesday.

In its 8 a.m. situational report, NDRRMC said 110 families or 391 persons were evacuated from CAR, while 70 families or 152 persons were from Cagayan Valley.

In an Unang Balita interview, Task Force Lingkod Cagayan head Ruelie Rapsing said 100 families or 329 individuals were evacuated in the province due to Florita.

Classes were also canceled in the eastern and northern municipalities of the province, he added.

For his part, Isabela provincial disaster official Atty. Constante Porande said they have deployed search and rescue teams in the northern portion of the province. Relief goods have also been prepositioned, he added.

“Ang binabantayan po namin maliban sa malakas na hangin, ay malakas na pag-ulan lalo na sa matataas na lugar dahil bababa ‘yan at pupunta sa Cagayan River. ‘Yan ang nagiging problema kapag malakas ang ulan at nagkakaron ng pagbaha,” he said.

(What we are watching for aside from the strong winds, is the heavy rain, especially in high places because that will go down to the Cagayan River. That becomes a problem when it rains heavily and there is flooding.)

Meanwhile, flooding in Hagonoy, Bulacan, remains deep, affecting residents and students who have just returned back to schools on Monday.

“Mamaya po siguro after three hours huhupa na ‘yan. Dala lang ng meron bagyo, habagat, at sumabay sa high tide tapos umuulan kaya ganyan kalaki,” said Rene Crisostomo of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

(Maybe after three hours it will subside. It's only brought by the typhoon, habagat, and high tide, that's why it's that big.)

Classes, flights, dams

Classes were canceled in some areas due to bad weather caused by Florita.

Some flights scheduled for Tuesday, August 23, were also canceled.

Binga Dam in Benguet and Magat Dam, which straddles Isabela and Ifugao, had one gate open each on Tuesday to release water as more rains are expected due to Florita. —KBK/KG, GMA News