MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Paeng intensified into a tropical storm on Thursday, and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has placed six areas under Signal No. 1.
“Paeng is forecast to reach severe tropical storm category within 24 hours and may intensify into a typhoon by Saturday. The occurrence of rapid intensification in the next 72 hours is not ruled out,” Pagasa said in its 11 a.m. bulletin.
Pagasa has raised Signal No. 1 in these areas:
- Catanduanes
- Eastern portion of Albay (Rapu-Rapu)
- Eastern portion of Sorsogon (Prieto Diaz, Gubat, Barcelona, Bulusan, Santa Magdalena, Irosin, Juban,
- Casiguran, City of Sorsogon)
- Eastern Samar
- Northern Samar
- Samar
Paeng is now 540 kilometers east of Borongan City, Eastern Samar, with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 80 kilometers per hour, said Pagasa.
Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains is expected over the Bicol Region and eastern Visayas, said Pagasa.
According to Pagasa, Paeng is moving west northwestward over the Philippine Sea and may make landfall along coastal areas in the eastern portion of central Luzon or Cagayan Valley. Other landfall scenarios have not been ruled out.
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