5 areas under Signal No. 3 as Florita makes landfall in Isabela

Five areas in Northern Luzon have been placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 due to Severe Tropical Storm Florita, PAGASA said Tuesday.

In its 11 a.m. weather bulletin, PAGASA said storm-force winds are prevailing or expected within 18 hours in the following areas under TCWS No. 3:

• northern portion of Ilocos Norte (Pagudpud, Dumalneg, Adams, Bangui, Burgos),
• Apayao,
• southern portion of Babuyan Islands (Camiguin Is., Fuga Is., Dalupiri Is.),
• mainland Cagayan,
• northeastern portion of Isabela (Palanan, Divilacan, Maconacon, San Pablo, Tumauini, Cabagan, Santa Maria, Santo Tomas, Delfin Albano, Ilagan City, San Mariano)

Gale-force winds are prevailing or expected within 24 hours in these areas under TCWS No. 2:

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

The following areas under TCWS No. 1 are experiencing strong winds (strong breeze to near gale strength):

• Batanes,
• rest of Nueva Vizcaya,
• rest of Benguet,
• La Union,
• eastern portion of Pangasinan (Santo Tomas, Villasis, Mapandan, Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto, Manaoag, City of Urdaneta, Rosales, Balungao, Umingan, San Quintin, Natividad, San Nicolas, Tayug, Santa Maria, Asingan, San Manuel, Binalonan, Sison, Pozorrubio, Laoac, Dagupan City),
• northeastern portion of Tarlac (San Manuel, Anao),
• Nueva Ecija, and
• rest of Aurora

The state weather bureau said STS Florita made its landfall in the vicinity of Maconacon, Isabela at 10:30 a.m.

It will continue moving generally northwestward and is forecast to traverse the northern portion of Isabela and mainland Cagayan. Afterwards, Florita will emerge over the Babuyan Channel Tuesday. On the forecast track, Florita may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) Wednesday morning.

At 10 a.m., Florita was estimated based on all available data including those from Aparri Doppler Weather Radar over the coastal waters of Maconacon, Isabela.

It packs maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 150 km/h, and central pressure of 985 hPa. It is moving northwestward at 20 km/h.

Heavy to intense with at times torrential rains are expected over Cagayan, Isabela, Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Zambales, and Bataan.

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

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains are expected over the rest of Central Luzon and the rest of CALABARZON.

PAGASA said scattered to widespread flooding (including flash floods) and rain-induced landslides are expected especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazard as identified in hazard maps, and in localities with significant antecedent rainfall.

It added Florita and the southwest monsoon will also bring rains over Western Visayas and MIMAROPA in the next 24 hours. Moderate to rough seas will be experienced over the remaining seaboards of Southern Luzon and Visayas.

"These conditions may be risky for those using small seacrafts. Mariners are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea and, if possible, avoid navigating in these conditions," it said.

PAGASA advised public and disaster risk reduction and management offices concerned to take all necessary measures to protect life and property.

"Persons living in areas identified to be highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards are advised to follow evacuation and other instructions from local officials," it said.—AOL, GMA News