Storm Sendong hits Vis-Min

Manila — As it draws closer to the archipelago, tropical storm “Sendong” will bring rain over eastern Visayas and northeastern Mindanao, weather forecasters said yesterday.

Sendong, which swirled into the Philippine area of responsibility at around 8 a.m. Thursday, was forecast to make a landfall in the area between Samar and Surigao between Friday night and Saturday morning.

“While it’s still far, its effect will be felt on Friday morning. It will bring light to moderate rain in Surigao, the Leyte and Samar provinces,” forecaster Aldczar Aurelio of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said in an interview.

It was spotted 610 kilometers east-southeast of Surigao del Sur as of 4 p.m. Thursday. It was packing maximum winds of 65 kilometers per hour, with gusts reaching 80 kph.

Yesterday, raised public storm signal number 1 over Surigao del Sur, the Dinagat Group of Islands, the Agusan provinces, Misamis Oriental, Eastern Samar, Western Samar, Leyte Provinces, Camotes Island, Bohol, Surigao del Norte including Siargao Island.

Palawan and Occidental Mindoro, which lie in the path of the weather disturbance, would also experience moderate to heavy rain Saturday night, Aurelio said.

The storm has no direct effect on Southern Luzon and Metro Manila. The northeast monsoon (Amihan) sweeping across the main island of Luzon, however, would intensify during the weekend and bring rain over the metropolis and other parts of Luzon, he said.

It was estimated at 840 km east southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur at around 10 a.m. yesterday. /INQUIRER