Ursula now a typhoon; Signal No. 3 up in six Visayas areas

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 was raised in six areas in the Visayas region as Severe Tropical Storm Ursula (international name: Phanfone) has strengthened into a typhoon by Tuesday afternoon, the state weather bureau said.

In its 2 p.m. weather update, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that TCWS No. 3 was hoisted over Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, and Camotes Islands. 

The following areas, meanwhile, were placed under TCWS No. 2 by Pagasa:

• Southern portion of Quezon (Mulanay, San Narciso, San Andres, San Francisco)
• Marinduque
• Oriental Mindoro
• Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island
• Romblon
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands
• Extreme northern Cebu including Bantayan (Bantayan, Madridejos, Santa Fe, Daanbantayan, Medellin, San Remigio, Bogo City, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Borbon, San Francisco, Poro, Tudela
• Pilar)
• Northeastern Iloilo (Carles, Balasan, Estancia, Batad, San Dionisio, Sara, Concepcion, Lemery, Ajuy)
• Northern Antique (Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, Culasi, Tibiao)
• Capiz
• Aklan
• Southern Leyte and extreme Northern Negros Occidental (Enrique B. Magalona, Victorias, Manapla, Cadiz, Sagay, Escalante, Toboso)
• Dinagat Islands

On the other hand, Pagasa hoisted TCWS No. 1 over the following areas:

• rest of northern Cebu (Carmen, Asturias, Tuburan, Catmon, Sogod)
• Central Cebu (Aloguinsan, Carcar City, Pinamungahan, San Fernando, Naga City, Toledo City, Minglanilla, Balamban, Talisay City, Cebu City, Cordova, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, Danao City)
• Northeastern Bohol (Inabanga, Danao, Dagohoy, Pilar, Guindulman, Anda, Candijay, Alicia, Buenavista, Jetafe, Talibon, Trinidad, Bien Unido, San Miguel, Ubay, Mabini, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia)
• rest of Antique
• rest of Iloilo
• Guimaras
• Northern Negros Occidental (Bacolod City, Bago City, Calatrava, La Carlota City, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Binalbagan, Hinigaran, Isabela, Murcia, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, Salvador Benedicto, San Carlos City, San Enrique, Silay City, Talisay City, Valladolid)
• Northern Negros Oriental (Canlaon City, Guihulngan City, Jimalalud, La Libertad Vallehermoso)
• Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands
• Cuyo Islands
• Calamian Islands
• Northern Palawan (Linapacan, El Nido, Taytay, Araceli, Dumaran, San Vicente, Roxas)
• Catanduanes
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Batangas
• Laguna
• rest of Quezon
• Rizal
• Cavite
• Bataan
• Bulacan
• Metro Manila

Pagasa said Ursula was last seen moving west at 20 kilometers per hour (kph), at 95 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar. The weather disturbance was packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph, it added.

Ursula was forecast to make landfall over the Borongan-Guiuan area between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tuesday, Pagasa also said. 

Between Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, Pagasa said occasional to frequent heavy rains may be experienced over Dinagat Islands, Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, Eastern Visayas, Sorsogon, Masbate, northern and central Cebu, northern Negros Provinces, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, and Romblon. 

Meanwhile, light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains due to Ursula may likely occur over the rest of Bicol Region, Quezon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, and the rest of Visayas as well as Surigao del Norte, according to Pagasa.

Edited by KGA