Pagasa hoists Signal No. 2 in 10 areas as ‘Maring’ intensifies

MANILA, Philippines — Ten areas in Luzon were placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 on Tuesday due to severe tropical storm Maring as it slightly intensified while moving towards the West Philippine Sea, the state weather service said.

Pagasa said the center of “Maring” is now estimated to be at 170 kilometer West of Calayan, Cagayan, packing maximum sustained winds of 100 kilometer per hour (kph) near the center, gustiness of up to 125 kph, moving westward at 20 kph.

The following areas were placed under TCWS No.2, where damaging gale to storm-force winds are prevailing or expected within 24 hours:

• 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

These areas are under TCWS No. 1, where strong winds are now occurring or expected to happen within 36 hours:

• The 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

Heavy rainfall

Pagasa also said that heavy to torrential rainfall is likely over Batanes, the northern portion of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Ilocos Region.

Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains are “highly likely” over Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, and the rest of Cagayan.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains are also likely over Metro Manila, Central Luzon, over the rest of Cagayan Valley.

Enhanced by “Maring,” southwest monsoon, locally known as “habagat” could also bring monsoon rains over Western Visayas, Palawan, and Occidental Mindoro in the next 24 hours, according to Pagasa.

Coastal inundation, rough sea condition

Rising sea water along with the high waves from the shoreline moving inland may cause flooding in the low-lying coastal localities of Batanes, northern Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, and Ilocos Norte, according to Pagasa

“A minimal to moderate risk of life-threatening storm surge reaching up to 1.0 m in height may occur in the next 24 hours,” Pagasa said.

In the next 24 hours, rough to high seas with 2.8 to 7.5 meters of waves will be experienced over the seaboards of areas where TCWS No. 2 and  No. 1 are in effect, according to Pagasa.

“These conditions are risky for all types of sea vessels. Mariners are advised to remain in port or take shelter in port until winds and waves subside,” Pagasa said.

Meanwhile, moderate to rough sea condition with 1.2 to 2.5 meters of waves will prevail on the remaining seaboards of the country.

Gale warning remains in effect for the rest of western seaboard of Central Luzon, the seaboards of Southern Luzon and Visayas, and the western, eastern, and northern seaboards of Mindanao, according to Pagasa.