Signal No. 3 in 7 areas as Nika moves over sea east of Aurora

Signal No. 3 has been raised over seven areas in northern Luzon as Severe Tropical Storm Nika continues west-northwest over the sea east of Aurora province, PAGASA said Sunday evening.

In its 11 p.m. tropical cyclone bulletin, the state weather bureau said that Nika's center is estimated to be 265 km east of Baler, Aurora, with maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 135 km/h. It is moving west-northwest at 15 km/h, with strong to storm-force winds extending up to 340 km from the center.

Storm Signal No. 3 has been raised over the following areas:

• Isabela
• the northern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Diadi, Bagabag, Quezon, Solano, Villaverde, Kasibu, Ambaguio, Bayombong)
• the northern portion of Quirino (Diffun, Cabarroguis, Aglipay, Maddela, Saguday)
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• the northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan)

Signal No. 2 is hosted over:

• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• the northeastern portion of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Natividad, San Quintin, Sison, San Manuel, Umingan, Tayug)
• Apayao
• Abra
• Benguet
• the northwestern, central, and southern portions of Cagayan (Solana, Iguig, Peñablanca, Tuguegarao City, Enrile, Baggao, Alcala, Amulung, Santo Niño, Rizal, Piat, Tuao, Gattaran, Lasam, Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Allacapan, Ballesteros, Lal-Lo, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Buguey, Santa Teresita)
• the rest of Quirino
• the rest of Nueva Vizcaya
• the central portion of Aurora (Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler)
• the northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Pantabangan, Lupao, San Jose City)

Signal No. 1 has been declared in:

• The rest of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• the rest of Pangasinan
• the rest of Aurora
• Tarlac
• the northern and central portions of Zambales (Santa Cruz, Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig, Iba, Botolan, Cabangan, San Marcelino, San Felipe, San Narciso)
• the rest of Nueva Ecija
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• the eastern portion of Laguna (Santa Maria, Mabitac, Pakil, Pangil, Famy, Siniloan, Paete, Kalayaan, Cavinti, Lumban, Luisiana, Santa Cruz, Magdalena, Pagsanjan, Majayjay, Liliw, Nagcarlan, Pila, Victoria)
• the eastern portion of Quezon (Calauag, Guinayangan, Tagkawayan, Pitogo, Buenavista, Pagbilao, Infanta, Lopez, Unisan, Plaridel, Quezon, Alabat, Sampaloc, Padre Burgos, Macalelon, Mauban, Perez, Agdangan, Gumaca, Atimonan, Real, General Nakar, Lucban, City of Tayabas, Lucena City) including Polillo Islands
• Camarines Norte
• the northern portion of Camarines Sur (Siruma, Tinambac, Ocampo, Goa, Lagonoy, Milaor, Caramoan, Cabusao, Camaligan, Pili, Sipocot, Tigaon, Garchitorena, Ragay, Magarao, Del Gallego, Libmanan, Naga City, Calabanga, Bombon, Canaman, San Jose, Presentacion, Gainza, Lupi)
• Catanduanes

Rainfall forecast

From Sunday night until Monday evening, the following areas are expected to experience intense to torrential ( greater than 200 mm) rainfall:

• Aurora
• Isabela
• Cagayan
• Ifugao
• Mountain Province
• Kalinga
• Apayao

PAGASA described the potential impact of so much rainfall as: "Widespread incidents of severe flooding and landslides expected."

In the same period, heavy to intense rainfall (100 to 200 mm) is expected in Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Abra, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur.

Moderate to heavy rainfall (50 to 100 mm) is forecast for Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Quezon, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, La Union, and Pangasinan.

Track

Nika is forecast to reach typhoon level within the next 12 hours and may reach 130 km/h before it makes landfall. It may make landfall in Isabela or northern Aurora on Monday morning or early afternoon. 

Nika is seen to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Tuesday afternoon.

Walang pasok

In an advisory the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) instructed governors and mayors in Regions I, II, III, IV-A, V, CAR and Metro Manila to "immediately suspend" classes at all levels, both public and private, in areas expected to be heavily affected by Nika. In the meantime, several local governments in these areas have already declared the suspension of classes for Monday.

The DILG has also ordered the evacuation of some 2,500 barangays in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

And in Metro Manila, the MMDA has suspended the expanded number coding scheme for Monday. — BM, GMA Integrated News