Pepito nears landfall over eastern Catanduanes

Super Typhoon Pepito (international name: Man-Yi) is set to make landfall over the eastern coast of Catanduanes, according to PAGASA's 8 p.m. Saturday bulletin.

At 7 p.m., Pepito was located over the coastal waters of Gigmoto, Catanduanes, with maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h and gustiness of up to 240 km/h.

It was moving northwestward at 20 km/h.

''Pepito is forecast to move generally west northwestward [and] make landfall over the northern or central portion of Catanduanes between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. (Saturday). However, considering short-term wobbling motion of the eye, it is possible, although becoming less likely, that Pepito will just pass very close to Catanduanes (but bring the southern eyewall and its violent conditions over most of Catanduanes),'' PAGASA said.

''Pepito will make landfall over Catanduanes as a super typhoon at or near peak intensity, and as a super typhoon or typhoon over Aurora. Significant weakening will occur during the passage of Pepito over mainland Luzon tomorrow, but it will likely remain as a typhoon throughout its passage over mainland Luzon,'' it added.

Signal No. 5 was raised over Catanduanes and the northeastern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Garchitorena, Lagonoy, Presentacion).

Under Signal No. 4 are Camarines Norte, the northern and southeastern portions of Camarines Sur (Siruma, Tinambac, Goa, San Jose, Tigaon, Sagñay, Calabanga), and the northeastern portion of Albay (City of Tabaco, Tiwi, Malinao, Malilipot, Bacacay, Rapu-Rapu).

Signal No. 3 was hoisted over the following areas:

• Aurora
• Polillo Islands
• the northern and eastern portions of mainland Quezon (Calauag, Guinayangan, Tagkawayan, Buenavista, Lopez, Quezon, Perez, Alabat, Gumaca, Plaridel, Atimonan, Real, General Nakar, Infanta, Mauban, Sampaloc), the eastern portion of Rizal (Tanay, Pililla)
• the northeastern portion of Laguna (Santa Maria, Famy, Mabitac, Pakil, Pangil, Siniloan, Paete, Kalayaan, Lumban, Cavinti)
• the rest of Camarines Sur
• the rest of Albay
• the northern portion of Sorsogon (Prieto Diaz, City of Sorsogon, Gubat, Barcelona, Castilla, Casiguran, Pilar, Donsol)

Areas under Signal No. 2 are the following:

• Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Abra
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• Pangasinan
• Nueva Ecija
• Bulacan
• Tarlac
• Pampanga
• Zambales
• Bataan
• Metro Manila
• the rest of Rizal
• the rest of Laguna
• Cavite
• the rest of Quezon
• Marinduque
• Burias Island
• Ticao Island
• the rest of Sorsogon
• Northern Samar
• the northern portion of Samar (Matuguinao, Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, Gandara)
• the northern portion of Eastern Samar (Dolores, Maslog, Jipapad, Arteche, Oras, San Policarpo)

These areas were placed under Signal No. 1:

• Mainland Cagayan
• Apayao
• Ilocos Norte
• Batangas
• the northern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Sablayan, Santa Cruz, Mamburao, Abra de Ilog, Paluan) including Lubang Islands
• the northern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, Naujan, Baco, Victoria, Socorro, Pinamalayan, Bansud, Gloria, Pola, City of Calapan, Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay)
• Romblon
• the rest of Masbate
• the rest of Eastern Samar
• the rest of Samar
• Biliran
• the northern and central portions of Leyte (Tunga, Pastrana, San Miguel, Matag-Ob, Tolosa, Palo, Calubian, Leyte, Mayorga, Julita, Carigara, Babatngon, Dagami, Jaro, San Isidro, Santa Fe, Albuera, Villaba, La Paz, Palompon, Tabontabon, Tanauan, Merida, Ormoc City, Isabel, Dulag, Capoocan, Alangalang, Burauen, Tabango, Tacloban City, Kananga, Barugo)
• the northernmost portion of Cebu (Daanbantayan, Medellin) including Bantayan Islands
• the northernmost portion of Iloilo (Carles)

PAGASA warned of a life-threatening storm surge with peak heights exceeding 3.0 m in the next 48 hours over the low-lying or exposed coastal localities of Ilocos Region (western coast), Isabela, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, Marinduque, Bicol Region, Northern Samar, Samar, and Eastern Samar.

Pepito is predicted to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Monday morning or afternoon. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News