Signal No. 3 in 3 areas as weaker ‘Rosita’ moves closer to Luzon

Signal No. 3 was raised in three areas as Typhoon “Rosita” (international name Yutu) moved closer to land midday Monday.

Isabela, Northern Aurora, and Quirino were under Signal No. 3, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said in its 11 a.m. bulletin.

But the typhoon has turned weaker and is expected to reach severe tropical storm by landfall over Southern Isabela-Northern Aurora on Tuesday morning.

Rosita packed maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph, moving west southwest at 20 kph.

As of 10 a.m., it was tracked 410 kilometers east northeast of Casiguran, Aurora.

Cagayan, Abra, Kalinga, Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, Ifugao, La Union, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Northern Quezon including Polillo Island, and Southern Aurora were placed under Signal No. 2.

Signal No. 1 was raised over Southern Quezon, Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Batanes and Babuyan group of Islands, Zambales, Rizal, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Laguna, Batangas, Bataan, Cavite, and Camarines Norte.

Heavy rains are expected over Northern and Central Luzon by Monday evening, Pagasa said.  /je