MANILA, Philippines – Weather disturbance Ambo has intensified from a storm into a typhoon on Wednesday, prompting the state weather bureau to raise Signal No. 2 over the Samar provinces in the Visayas.
As of late Wednesday night, Ambo, internationally known as Yongfong, had maximum sustained winds of 130 kph with a gustiness reaching up to 160 kph, according to the latest forecast of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
It was last seen 245 km east-northeast of Borongan City, moving west at 15 kph. It was expected to further intensify as it moved over the waters off the Bicol region.
Under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 2 are the whole of Northern Samar; the towns of Arteche, Can-avid, Dolores, Jipadpad, Maslog, Oras, San Policarpio, and Taft in Eastern Samar; and areas of Calbayog City, Gandara, Matuguinao, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, and Sta. Margarita in Samar.
Under Signal No. 1 are the rest of Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, and the Bicol Region provinces of Masbate, Sorsogon, Albay, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, and Camarines Norte.
Ambo is expected to make its approach to land on Thursday night, possibly making landfall in Sorsogon and then crossing the whole Bicol Region between Thursday and Friday.
Ambo’s track slightly changed. Instead of directly hitting Southern Luzon and Metro Manila before exiting the Luzon landmass through the West Philippine Sea, it is now expected to go north, over Infanta in Quezon and near Aurora and Isabela’s seas.
Signal No. 1 may be raised over Quezon and Marinduque on Thursday.
It would then cross the Cagayan Valley and the Cordillera before leaving the Luzon landmass through the Babuyan Channel. Ambo may leave the Philippine area of responsibility on Monday morning, heading towards Japan.
Residents of Eastern Visayas and Bicol provinces like Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate should expect moderate to heavy rains, to sometimes intense rains over the next 24 hours.
People in the said areas should coordinate and monitor updates from Pagasa and their respective Disaster Risk Reduction Management Offices as low-lying areas and slopes may be susceptible to flooding and landslides.
/atm