27 areas under Signal No. 1 as ‘Usman’ heads to Eastern Visayas

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Cyclone Signal No. 1 was raised in over two dozen areas early morning Friday as “Usman” maintained its course towards Eastern Visayas.

In its 5 a.m. weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) located Usman at 285 kilometers (km) east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

It was moving west-northwest at 10 kilometers per hour (kph), packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kph and gustiness of up to 65 kph.

Consequently, Pagasa raised Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1 over the following areas:

Luzon

Northern Palawan, including the Calamian group of islands

Camarines Norte

Southern Quezon

Marinduque

Romblon

Catanduanes

Camarines Sur

Albay

Sorsogon

Masbate, including Ticao and Burias Islands

Southern Occidental Mindoro

Southern Oriental Mindoro

Cuyo Island

Visayas

Eastern Samar

Northern Samar

Samar

Biliran

Leyte

Southern Leyte

Northern Cebu, including the Camotes Islands

Aklan

Capiz

Iloilo

Guimaras

Antique

Northern Negros Occidental

Mindanao

Dinagat Island

These areas may experience winds of 30-60 kph and/or intermittent rain within the next 36 hours.

Moderate to heavy rain will prevail over the Visayas, the Bicol Region, Mindoro povinces, Marinduque, Romblon, and Quezon, Pagasa said.

Usman is expected to make landfall over Eastern Samar on Friday night. However, Pagasa said that it might intensify into a tropical storm ahead of its landfall.

Pagasa advised residents in Usman-affected areas to be alert for possible flooding and landslides.

The weather bureau also warned that sea travel is risky and advised fisher folk not to venture out over the seaboards of areas under Signal No. 1, seaboards of Northern Luzon, the eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon, and the eastern seaboard of the Surigao provinces.

Based on its latest forecast track, Usman is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility between Sunday evening (Dec. 30) and Monday morning (Dec. 31). /cbb