PAGASA: More areas under Signal No. 3 as Marce nears Cagayan, Babuyan

Signal no. 3 has been raised in more areas of Luzon as Typhoon Marce continued to threaten northern Cagayan and the Babuyan Islands.

According to PAGASA’s 8 p.m. cyclone bulletin, Marce was last seen at 260 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 150 kph and gustiness of up to 185 kph.

PAGASA said Marce will remain a typhoon throughout its time inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

The following areas under Signal no. 3 have been warned to expect winds of 89 kph to 117 kph over the next 18 hours:

• The northern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Lal-Lo, Santa Teresita, Buguey, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Allacapan, Gattaran, Lasam, Ballesteros, Baggao, Alcala, Santo Niño, Rizal, Abulug, Pamplona)
• The southern portion of Babuyan Islands (Fuga Is., Camiguin Is.)
• The eastern portion of Apayao (Flora, Santa Marcela, Luna, Pudtol)

Winds of 62 kph up to 88 kph may also be expected within 24 hours over the following areas under Signal no. 2:

• Batanes
• The rest of Babuyan Islands, the rest of mainland Cagayan, the northern portion of Isabela (San Pablo, Santa Maria, Divilacan, Tumauini, Maconacon, Cabagan, Santo Tomas, Quezon, Palanan, Ilagan City, Mallig, Delfin Albano, Quirino)
• The rest of Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Ilocos Norte, and the northern portion of Ilocos Sur (Sinait, Cabugao, San Juan, Magsingal, Santo Domingo, Bantay, San Ildefonso, San Vicente, Santa Catalina, City of Vigan, Narvacan, Caoayan, Santa, Nagbukel, Santa Maria, San Esteban, Santiago, Burgos, Banayoyo, Lidlidda, San Emilio)

For the following areas under Signal no. 1, winds of 39 kph to 61 kph or intermittent rains may be observed over the next 36 hours:

• The rest of Ilocos Sur, La Union, the northwestern portion of Pangasinan (Bani, Bolinao, Anda, City of Alaminos, Agno, Sual)
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• The rest of Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• The northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler)

PAGASA also warned about the possibility of raising Signal no. 4 as the highest wind signal within the forecast period.

Marce is predicted to continue movong slowly over east of Cagayan on Wednesday night and gradually accelerate over the Babuyan Channel and the northern portion of the West Philippine Sea from Thursday to Saturday.

It is predicted to make a landfall near Babuyan Islands and/or the northern portions of mainland Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, and Apayao from Thursday afternoon to Friday early morning, before exiting the PAR by Friday evening. —NB, GMA Integrated News