Signal No. 4 up over 3 Luzon areas as Marce nears landfall

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 4 is raised over three areas in Luzon as Typhoon Marce is seen to make a landfall over Babuyan Islands and nearby areas, PAGASA said on Thursday.

In its 8 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA raised the following Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals: 

Signal No. 4

• The northern portion of mainland Cagayan (Gonzaga, Santa Ana, Santa Teresita, Lal-Lo, Buguey, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Gattaran, Ballesteros, Allacapan, Abulug, Pamplona, Sanchez-Mira, Claveria, Santa Praxedes, Lasam) including Babuyan Islands
• The northeastern portion of Apayao (Santa Marcela, Luna, Flora)
• The northern portion of Ilocos Norte (Pagudpud)

Signal No. 3

• Batanes
• The rest of Cagayan
• The rest of Apayao
• The rest of Ilocos Norte
• The northern portion of Abra (Tineg, Danglas, Lagayan, Lacub, San Juan, La Paz, Bangued)
• The northern portion of Ilocos Sur (Sinait, Cabugao, San Juan, Magsingal, Santo Domingo)

Signal No. 2 

• The northern and central portions of Isabela (San Pablo, Santa Maria, Divilacan, Tumauini, Maconacon, Cabagan, Santo Tomas, Quezon, Palanan, Ilagan City, Mallig, Delfin Albano, Quirino, San Mariano, Gamu, Roxas, Naguilian, Burgos, Reina Mercedes, Benito Soliven, Luna, Aurora, San Manuel, San Mateo, Alicia, Angadanan, City of Cauayan, Cabatuan)
• The rest of Abra
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• The northern portion of Ifugao (Alfonso Lista, Aguinaldo, Mayoyao, Banaue, Hungduan)
• The northern portion of Benguet (Bakun, Mankayan)
• The rest of Ilocos Sur
• The northern portion of La Union (Sudipen, Bangar, Balaoan, Luna, Santol)

Signal No. 1

• The rest of La Union
• Pangasinan
• The rest of Ifugao
• The rest of Benguet
• The rest of Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• The northern and central portions of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler)
• The northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan)
• The northern portion of Zambales (Santa Cruz, Candelaria)

Marce was spotted 175 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan moving west northwestward slowly, according to PAGASA.

The typhoon was packing maximum sustained winds of 165 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 205 kph.

“MARCE will make landfall and traverse Babuyan Islands and/or the northern portions of mainland Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, and Apayao (or pass very close to these areas) from this afternoon until tomorrow (8 November) early morning,” PAGASA said.

“MARCE is forecast to approach the northern portion of Cagayan during its peak intensity. A weakening may be expected starting this afternoon due to possible interaction with the terrain of mainland Luzon during the landfall or close approach of MARCE, although it will remain as a typhoon throughout its passage within the PAR region,” PAGASA said.

Some areas have suspended classes due to the bad weather. 

Marce is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) Friday afternoon or evening. 

Storm surge

PAGASA said there is a a “high risk of life-threatening storm surge” in Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and La Union.

“There is a high risk of life-threatening storm surge with peak surge heights exceeding 3.0 m above normal tide levels in the next 48 hours over the low-lying or exposed coastal localities of Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and La Union,” PAGASA said.

Rains 

Intense to torrential rains are expected over Cagayan and Apayao; heavy to intense rains over Ilocos Norte, Batanes, and Abra; while moderate to heavy rains over Ilocos Sur, Kalinga, La Union, Isabela, and Mountain Province on Thursday.

"Under these conditions, flooding and rain-induced landslides are likely, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps and in areas with significant antecedent rainfall," PAGASA said.

"The public and disaster risk reduction and management offices concerned are advised to take all necessary measures to protect life and property," it added.

Winds

Areas under TCWS No. 4 may experience significant to severe impacts from typhoon-force winds, according to PAGASA.

Due to gale-force winds, TCWS No. 3 areas may suffer from moderate to significant impacts while TCWS No. 2 areas may encounter minor to moderate impacts.

Meanwhile, minimal to minor impacts from strong winds are expected over areas under TCWS No. 1.

Due to the northeasterly wind flow and the periphery of Marce, strong to gale-force gusts may be experienced over Zambales, Bataan, and Polillo Islands on Thursday.

Waves

A Gale Warning is raised over the seaboards of Northern Luzon and Central Luzon, PAGASA said.

Very rough, high, or very high waves (from 4.5 to 12.0 meters) may be encountered in the following coastal waters:

• Up to 12.0 m: The seaboard of Babuyan Islands; the northern seaboards of mainland Cagayan and Ilocos Norte
• Up to 9.0 m: The remaining seaboard of Ilocos Norte
• Up to 9.0 m: The remaining seaboard of Cagayan
• Up to 8.0 m: The seaboard of Batanes
• Up to 7.0 m: The seaboard of northern Ilocos Sur; the seaboard of northern Isabela
• Up to 6.0 m: The remaining seaboards of Ilocos Sur and Isabela
• Up to 5.0 m: The remaining seaboard of Ilocos Region
• Up to 4.5 m: The seaboards of northern Zambales and northern Aurora

“Sea travel is risky for all types or tonnage of vessels. All mariners must remain in port or, if underway, seek shelter or safe harbor as soon as possible until winds and waves subside,” PAGASA said.

Rough seas (from 3.0 to 4.0 meters) may be experienced over the following coastal waters:

Up to 4.0 m: The seaboards of Kalayaan Islands

Up to 3.5 m: The northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands; the seaboards of Camarines Norte; the northern seaboards of Catanduanes and Camarines Sur; the remaining seaboard of Zambales.

Up to 3.0 m: The eastern seaboard of Catanduanes; the seaboard of northern Quezon.

“Mariners of small seacrafts, including all types of motorbancas, are advised not to venture out to sea under these conditions, especially if inexperienced or operating ill-equipped vessels,” PAGASA said.

Moderate seas (from 2.0 to 2.5 meters) are also expected over the following areas:

Up to 2.5 m: The northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar; the eastern seaboards of Albay, Sorsogon, and Eastern Samar; the western seaboards of Bataan, Lubang Islands, Palawan including Calamian Islands;

Up to 2.0 m: The western seaboards of Occidental Mindoro; the eastern seaboard of Camarines Sur, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Sur

“Mariners of motorbancas and similarly-sized vessels are advised to take precautionary measures while venturing out to sea and, if possible, avoid navigation under these conditions,” PAGASA said.

—VAL, GMA Integrated News