3 areas under Signal No. 4 as Marce pounds N. Luzon

PAGASA issued a warning of "life-threatening conditions" over the northern potions of Cagayan, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte as Typhoon Marce continued to move west-northwestward over the Babuyan Channel on Thursday evening.

According to its 8 p.m. bulletin on Thursday, the state weather bureau said Marce was last seen over the coastal waters of Aparri, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 175 kph and gustiness of up to 240 kph.

“Regardless of the position of the center of the eye in the next several hours, it must be emphasized that potentially life threatening conditions due to typhoon-force winds, storm surge inundation, and torrential rainfall will be experienced in the Babuyan Islands and the northern portions of mainland Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, and Apayao,” the advisory said.

The following areas under Signal No. 4 may experience winds of 118 kph up to 184 kph over the next 12 hours:

• The northern portion of 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 northern portion of Apayao (Santa Marcela, Luna, Flora, Calanasan, Pudtol), and the northern portion of Ilocos Norte (Pagudpud, Bangui, Vintar, Dumalneg, Adams, Bacarra, Pasuquin, Burgos, Laoag City, Piddig, Carasi, San Nicolas, Sarrat)

In a storm surge bulletin issued on Thursday, the state weather bureau also warned of a high risk of storm surge within the next 48 hours over the following areas:

More than 3.0 meters

• Batanes: Sabtang
• Cagayan: Abulug, Aparri, Ballesteros, Buguey, Calayan, Claveria, Gonzaga, Pamplona, Sanchez-Mira, Santa Ana, Santa Praxedes, Santa Teresita
• Ilocos Norte: Bacarra, Badoc, Bangui, Burgos, Currimao, Laoag City (Capital), Pagudpug, Paoay, Pasuquin

2.1 to 3.0 meters

• Cagayan: Baggao, Gattaran, Lal-lo, Penablanca
• Ilocos Sur: Cabugao, Caoayan, City of Candon, City of Vigan (Capital), Magsingal, Narvacan, San Esteban, San Juan (Lapog), San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Santa Cruz, Santa Lucia, Santa Maria, Santiago, Santo Domingo, Sinait, Tagudin
• La Union: Bacnotan, Balaoan, Bangar, City of San Fernando

1.0  to 2.0 meters

• Isabela: Dinapigue, Divilacan, Maconacon, Palanan

Residents in or near these low-lying communities have been advised to stay away from the coast and to cancel all marine activities.

For areas under Signal No. 3, residents in the following areas may experience winds of 89 kph to 117 kph over the next 18 hours:

• 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)

The following areas under signal no. 2 may see winds of 62 kph up to 88 kph over the next 24 hours:

• 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)

The following areas under Signal No. 1 will be experiencing winds of 39 kph to 61 kph or intermittent rains within the next 36 hours:

• 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)

Meanwhile, Marce is predicted to make another landfall along the coast of northwestern mainland Cagayan on Thursday night.

PAGASA said it has not ruled out the possibility of Marce reaching the Super Typhoon Category after it passes Cagayan. It predicts that it will remain a typhoon during its passage within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

According to the agency, Marce will begin to weaken within the next 12 to 24 hours, and is predicted to exit the PAR by Friday afternoon or evening. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/RF, GMA Integrated News