13 areas under Signal No. 2 as Paeng accelerates towards Catanduanes

Thirteen areas in Luzon and Visayas were under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 due to Tropical Storm Paeng, state weather bureau PAGASA said late Friday morning.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the following areas are under TCWS No. 2:

Luzon

• Catanduanes
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands
• Camarines Sur
• Camarines Norte
• the central and southern portions of Quezon (Atimonan, Pagbilao, Padre Burgos, Agdangan, Unisan, Plaridel, Gumaca, Pitogo, Macalelon, General Luna, Catanauan, Lopez, Calauag, Quezon, Alabat, Perez, Tagkawayan, Guinayangan, Buenavista, Mulanay, San Narciso, San Andres, San Francisco)
• Marinduque

Visayas

• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• the northeastern portion of Leyte (Tacloban City, Babatngon, San Miguel, Barugo),
• Biliran

Meanwhile, the following areas in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao are under TCWS No. 1:

Luzon

• Metro Manila
• Bataan
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• the southeastern portion of Tarlac (Concepcion, La Paz)
• the central and southern portions of Nueva Ecija (City of Gapan, San Leonardo, Santo Domingo, Rizal, San Isidro, Laur, Zaragoza, Llanera, Aliaga, Palayan City, Gabaldon, General Mamerto Natividad, Cabanatuan City, Quezon, San Antonio, General Tinio, Santa Rosa, Pe, Jaen, Licab, Bongabon, Cabiao, Talavera)
• the southern portion of Aurora (Dingalan, San Luis, Maria Aurora, Baler)
• Cavite
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Rizal
• the rest of Quezon including Pollilo Islands
• Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands
• Oriental Mindoro
• Romblon
• Calamian Islands

Visayas

• The rest of Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• the northern and central portions of Cebu (Daanbantayan, Medellin, San Remigio, Tabogon, City of Bogo, Borbon, Tabuelan, Sogod, Catmon, Tuburan, Carmen, Danao City, Asturias, Balamban, Compostela, Liloan, Cebu City, Mandaue City, Consolacion, Toledo City, City of Talisay, City of Naga, Pinamungahan, Minglanilla, Aloguinsan, San Fernando, City of Carcar, Barili, Sibonga, Dumanjug, Argao, Alcantara, Moalboal, Ronda, Badian, Dalaguete, Lapu-Lapu City, Cordova) including Bantayan and Camotes Islands
• Bohol
• the northern and central portions of Negros Occidental (Sagay City, Cadiz City, City of Escalante, Manapla, Enrique B. Magalona, City of Victorias, Silay City, City of Talisay, Murcia, Bacolod City, Bago City, Pulupandan, Valladolid, La Carlota City, La Castellana, San Enrique, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Moises Padilla, Isabela, San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto, Calatrava, Toboso, Binalbagan, City of Himamaylan)
• the northern portion of Negros Oriental (City of Guihulngan, Vallehermoso, Canlaon City, La Libertad, Jimalalud, Tayasan)
• Guimaras
• Aklan
• the northern and central portions of Antique (Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, Culasi, Tibiao, Barbaza, Laua-An, Bugasong, Valderrama, Patnongon, San Remigio, Caluya Islands)
• Capiz
• the northern and central portions of Iloilo (Calinog, New Lucena, Maasin, Estancia, Batad, Oton, Concepcion, Pavia, Duelas, Balasan, Barotac Nuevo, Ajuy, Iloilo City, Anilao, San Dionisio, San Miguel, Mina, Santa Barbara, Barotac Viejo, Leganes, Carles, Dingle, Zarraga, Bingawan, Cabatuan, Alimodian, Dumangas, San Rafael, San Enrique, Badiangan, Banate, City of Passi, Pototan, Lambunao, Lemery, Sara, Janiuay, Leon, Tigbauan, Tubungan, Igbaras, Guimbal)

Mindanao

• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands
• the northern portion of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza, Cortes, City of Tandag, Bayabas, Tago, Cagwait)
• the northern portion of Agusan del Norte (Kitcharao, Jabonga, Santiago)

PAGASA said Paeng was last spotted 220 kilometers east northeast of Borongan City, Eastern Samar, or 305 km east of Catarman, Northern Samar, packing maximum sustained winds of 75 km per hour and gustiness of up to 90 km/h, moving westward at 25 km/h.

It will keep moving west northwestward through Sunday, according to PAGASA.

It added that Paeng may make landfall over Catanduanes by Saturday early morning and pass the northern portion of Camarines Sur, then the eastern portion of Camarines Norte.

By Sunday morning, Paeng may make another landfall over the east coast of Quezon (including Polillo Islands) or Aurora.

Paeng is forecast to further intensify while moving over the warm waters of the Philippine Sea and may reach severe tropical storm category within 24 hours, PAGASA said.

Due to a possible landfall over Bicol, PAGASA said it is less likely to reach typhoon category and there is an increasing likelihood that it would remain a severe tropical storm.

Class cancellations

Several cities in Metro Manila suspended classes Friday afternoon due to the effects of Paeng.

• Taguig City - all levels, public and private
• Marikina City - all levels, public and private (October 28-29)
• Pasig City - all levels, public and private (October 28-29)
• Manila - Kinder to Grade 12, public and private, face to face and online classes
• Caloocan City - Kinder to Grade 12, public and private

Other affected provinces announced class cancellations since Thursday.

Floods

Meanwhile, according to an Unang Balita report on Friday, some areas in Bicol and Visayas regions already experienced up to chest-deep floods due to the rains brought by Paeng.

In Camarines Sur, 17 barangays in Libmanan experienced knee-deep floods, while Barangay San Agustin in Bula experienced waist-deep floods that entered some houses.

Over 100 people in Libmanan and Calabanga were evacuated from areas prone to landslide and flooding, the Office of Civil Defense Region 5 said.

Some landslide incidents were reported in barangays Pangsangaan and Sta. Maria in Presentacion town, according to the Municipal Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO).

In Aklan, knee-deep flood hit Barangay Poblacion in Libacao town and entered some homes. Oquendo Elementary School in Balete town was submerged in chest-deep flood.

Water also overflowed at a bridge in Madalag town.

Suspended sea trips

As this developed, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Friday announced more suspension of sea trips due to the threat of Tropical Storm Paeng.

Through a notice, the Coast Guard Station (CGS) in Central Cebu, Camotes, Eastern Bohol, and Western Leyte enforced temporary suspension on trips in areas under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal for all types of seacraft.

The CGS Capiz also imposed suspension for all trips from Roxas City to Romblon, and vice versa.

Meanwhile, the CGS Ilocos Norte suspended the trips of small sea crafts in northern and western seaboards of the province. Larger vessels, on the other hand, were alerted of big waves.

From 12 midnight to 4 a.m., the PCG monitored moderate to rough seas in Bicol and Eastern Visayas. A total of 989 passengers, drivers, and cargo helpers; 478 rolling cargoes; and 11 vessels were stranded.

The PCG said 42 vessels and six motorbancas were taking shelter in Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions due to Paeng. —KBK, GMA News