Tropical depression ‘Samuel’ heading to Sulu Sea

Tropical Depression “Samuel” is off the southern coast of Antique on Wednesday afternoon and is now heading towards Sulu sea, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.

In its 2 p.m. update, the state weather bureau said it last spotted Samuel at 70 kilometers west-southwest of Iloilo City, Iloilo or 120 km southeast of Cuyo, Palawan.

It is moving in a west-southwest direction with a speed of 40 kilometers per hour (kph).

Pagasa said the tropical depression packs maximum sustained winds of 45 kph and gusts up to 70 kph.

Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Number 1 is still  on in 10 provinces in Luzon and the Visayas.

In Luzon, the places under Signal No. 1 are Romblon, southern Oriental Mindoro, southern Occidental Mindoro and Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo group of islands.

In the Visayas, the affected areas include Northern Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, and Antique.

Signal No. 1 over northern Cebu had been lifted.

Samuel is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) between Thursday evening or Friday morning, Pagasa said.

Moderate to heavy rains could still be expected over Mimaropa, Calabarzon, Western Visayas, Aurora, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes.

Pagasa warned the residents in these areas of possible flooding and landslides caused by Samuel.

Samuel made its first landfall in Samar at 2 a.m. Wednesday and another landfall over Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo at 9 a.m.

READ: TD ‘Samuel’ makes second landfall in Iloilo