UPDATE: Tisoy slightly weakens but remains a strong, destructive typhoon

MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Tisoy slightly weakened early Tuesday morning as it bears down on Burias Island but it remains strong and destructive, the weather bureau reported.

In its 5 a.m. Severe Weather Bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said that Tisoy’s eyewall is currently bringing violent winds and intense rainfall over Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, and Masbate.

Its eyewall is also expected to affect Southern Quezon, Romblon, and Marinduque in the next three hours.

Frequent to continuous heavy to intense (with isolated torrential) rains will be experienced in the Bicol Region, Romblon, Marinduque, Mindoro Provinces, Calabarzon, Metro Manila, Bataan, Pampanga and Bulacan between Tuesday early morning and late afternoon, Pagasa said.

Occasional to frequent heavy rains will likewise prevail over the rest of Central Luzon while intermittent heavy rains will be experienced over Samar Provinces, Biliran, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, and the northern portions of Negros Provinces and Cebu.

Between late Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning, Mindoro Provinces, Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Rizal, and Northern Quezon including Polillo Islands will have frequent to continuous heavy (with isolated intense) rains.

Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, Marinduque, Romblon and the rest of Calabarzon will experience occasional heavy rains while Bicol Region and Calamian Islands will have intermittent heavy rains, Pagasa said.

As of 4 a.m., the eye of Tisoy was spotted in the vicinity of San Pascual, Masbate (Burias Island) moving westward at 20 kilometers per hour (kph) with maximum sustained winds of up to 155 kilometers kph and gusts of up to 235 kph.

Pagasa warned residents in affected areas, especially those residing in areas highly susceptible to flooding and landslides, to take appropriate actions, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management officers, and frequently monitor for updates.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3, winds speeds of 121 kph to 170 kph is expected in 18 hours, was raised over the following areas:

• Catanduanes
• Camarines Sur
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Camarines Norte
• Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands
• Romblon
• Southern portion of Quezon (Perez, Alabat, Quezon, Mauban, Sampaloc, Lucban, Tayabas, Pagbilao, Lucena, Sariaya, Candelaria, Dolores, Tiaong, San Antonio, Atimonan, Padre Burgos, Agdangan, Plaridel, Unisan, Pitogo, Gumaca, Lopez, Macalelon, General Luna, Calauag, Guinayangan, Tagkawayan, Buenavista, Mulanay, San Narciso, San Francisco, San Andres)
• Marinduque
• Oriental Mindoro
• Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island
• Batangas
• Cavite
• Laguna

Pagasa hoisted TCWS No. 2, where 61 kph to 120 kph winds speeds is expected in 24 hours, over the following areas:

• Metro Manila
• Bulacan
• Bataan
• Tarlac
• Pampanga
• Nueva Ecija
• Southern Aurora (Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler, San Luis, Dingalan)
• Rizal
• Rest of Quezon including Polillo Islands, Calamian Islands (Coron, Busuanga, Culion, Linapacan)
• Cuyo Islands (Cuyo, Magsaysay, Agutaya)
• Zambales
• Pangasinan
• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Biliran
• Aklan
• Capiz
• Antique
• Iloilo
• Guimaras
• Northern portion of Negros Occidental (Talisay, Calatrava, Silay, Enrique B. Magalona, Victorias, Manapla, Cadiz, Sagay, Escalante, Toboso, Bacolod, Murcia, Salvador Benedicto, San Carlos, Bago, Pulupandan, Valladolid, La Carlota, San Enrique, Pontevedra, La Castellana, Moises Padilla)
• Northern Cebu (Daanbantayan, Bantayan, Madridejos, Santa Fe, Medellin, Bogo City, San Remigio, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Tuburan, Carmen Borbon, Sogod, Catmon, Asturias, and Camotes Islands)
• Leyte

TCWS No. 1 was hoisted over the following areas:

• Southern Isabela (Palanan, Dinapigue, San Mariano, San Guillermo, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Reina Mercedes, Luna, Aurora, Cabatuan, San Mateo, Cauayan City, Alicia, Angadanan, Ramon, San Isidro, Echague, Cordon, Santiago City, Jones and San Agustin)
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• Quirino
• Rest of Aurora
• Northern portion of Palawan (El Nido, Taytay, Araceli, Dumaran, San Vicente, Roxas) –
• Rest of Negros Occidental
• Negros Oriental
• Bohol
• Siquijor
• Rest of Cebu
• Southern Leyte
• Storm surges measuring two to three meters are expected over several coastal areas in Batangas, Mindoro Provinces, Marinduque, Romblon, Ticao and Burias Islands, and the southern coast of Southern Quezon, Pagasa said.

Meanwhile, surges measuring one to two meters are forecast over Camarines Norte, northern coast of Southern Quezon, Cavite, Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, and Zambales (Subic Bay coastal areas).