Signal No. 2 still up in 9 areas of Luzon due to severe TS Maring – Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines — Nine areas in Luzon remain under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 as Severe Tropical Storm Maring continued to move westward to Babuyan Islands, the state weather service said Monday afternoon.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its 4:00 p.m, bulletin that Maring was last located 105 kilometers (km) east of Northeast Aparri, Cagayan.

Due to this, damaging gale-force to storm-force winds were seen to prevail in the next 24 hours over areas under Signal No. 2 while strong winds may be expected within the next 36 hours in the 16 areas under Signal No. 1.

From Pagasa

The storm, Pagasa also said, was moving westward at 20 kilometers per hour (kph), with maximum sustained winds of 95 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph.

Pagasa further said it anticipates the severe tropical storm to leave the Philippine area of responsibility or PAR by Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, the Maring-enhanced southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat, was forecast to dump rain over the Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, and Oriental Mindoro within the next 24 hours.

Below were areas where Pagasa hoisted tropical cyclone wind signals as of 4:00 p.m. Monday:

Signal No. 2

• Batanes
• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• Northern portion of Isabela (Palanan, Divilacan, Maconacon, Ilagan City, Tumauini, Cabagan, San Pablo, Santa Maria, Santo Tomas, Delfin Albano, Quirino, Gamu, Roxas, Mallig, Quezon)
• Apayao
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Abra
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur

From Pagasa

Signal No. 1

• rest of Isabela
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• La Union
• Pangasinan
• Aurora
• Nueva Ecija
• Tarlac
• Zambales
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Northern portion of Bataan (Samal, Morong, Dinalupihan, Abucay, Orani, Hermosa)
• Northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta) including Polillo Islands
• Calaguas Islands

As for the gale warning, Pagasa said it was raised over the seaboards of localities where Signals No. 2 and 1 are in effect because rough to high seas with waves ranging from 2.5 to 7.5 meters in height may be experienced in these areas.

“Mariners are advised to remain in port or take shelter in port until winds and waves subside,” Pagasa said.

KGA