MANILA, Philippines — Paeng intensified into a Severe Tropical Storm early Saturday morning and was last seen over the waters of Virac, Catanduanes, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.
Pagasa’s update as of 2:00 a.m. showed that Paeng now packed maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 130 kph.
It has started to move faster, still on a west-northwest track at a speed of 30 kph.
Paeng intensifying into a severe tropical storm means Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 is now in effect over the following areas in Bicol Region and Quezon province:
- Bicol Region: Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, the northern portion of Camarines Sur (Ragay, Lupi, Sipocot, Libmanan, Cabusao, Magarao, Calabanga, Tinambac, Siruma, Goa, Tigaon, San Jose, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Presentacion, Caramoan, Saglay, Ocampo, Pili, Bombon, Naga City, Del Gallego, Canaman, Camaligan, Milaor, Gainza, Pamplona)
- The extreme eastern portion of Quezon (Tagkawayan, Guinayangan)
Meanwhile, the following areas are under Signal No. 2:
Luzon
- Bicol Region: Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, the rest of Camarines Sur
- Calabarzon/ Mimaropa: Marinduque, the rest of Quezon including Pollilo Islands, Laguna, Batangas, Cavite, Rizal, the northern and central portions of Occidental Mindoro (Sablayan, Santa Cruz, Mamburao, Abra de Ilog, Paluan) including Lubang Islands, and Romblon
- Metro Manila
- Central Luzon: Bulacan, the southern portion of Aurora (San Luis, Baler, Dingalan, Maria Aurora), the central and southern portions of Nueva Ecija (City of Gapan, San Leonardo, Santo Domingo, Rizal, San Isidro, Laur, Zaragoza, Llanera, Aliaga, Palayan City, Gabaldon, General Mamerto Natividad, Cabanatuan City, Quezon, San Antonio, General Tinio, Santa Rosa, Pe, Jaen, Licab, Bongabon, Cabiao, Talavera), the central and southern portions of Tarlac (La Paz, City of Tarlac, San Jose, Gerona, Mayantoc, Pura, Bamban, Capas, Santa Ignacia, Victoria, Concepcion), Pampanga, Bataan, the central and southern portions of Zambales (Masinloc, Palauig, Iba, Botolan, Cabangan, San Marcelino, Subic, Olongapo City, Castillejos, San Antonio, San Narciso, San Felipe), the northern and central portions of Oriental Mindoro (Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, Baco, City of Calapan, Naujan, Victoria, Pola, Socorro, Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas)
Visayas
- Western Visayas: Northern Samar, the northern portion of Eastern Samar (Jipapad, Arteche, Oras, San Policarpo, Maslog, Can-Avid, Dolores), and the northern portion of Samar (Paranas, Motiong, City of Catbalogan, Tarangnan, San Jorge, Jiabong, San Jose de Buan, Matuguinao, Gandara, Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, Pagsanghan, Santo Nino, Almagro, Tagapul-An)
Signal No. 1 was also hoisted over the following areas:
Luzon
- Cagayan Valley: The central and southern portions of Isabela (San Agustin, Jones, City of Santiago, Cordon, Echague, Dinapigue, San Mariano, San Guillermo, Angadanan, City of Cauayan, Benito Soliven, Ramon, San Isidro, Alicia, San Mateo, Cabatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Naguilian, Palanan, Aurora, Burgos, San Manuel, Gamu, Ilagan City, Divilacan, Roxas, Quirino, Mallig), Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino
- Cordillera: Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province
- Ilocos Region: the southern portion of Ilocos Sur (Sugpon, Cervantes, Alilem, Suyo, Tagudin, Santa Cruz, Sigay, Quirino, Gregorio del Pilar, Salcedo, Santa Lucia), La Union, Pangasinan
- Central Luzon: the rest of Aurora, the rest of Nueva Ecija, the rest of Zambales, the rest of Tarlac
- Mimaropa: the rest of Oriental Mindoro, the rest of Occidental Mindoro, and the northern portion of Palawan (El Nido, Taytay) including Calamian and Cuyo Islands
Visayas
- Eastern Visayas: The rest of Samar, the rest of Eastern Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte and the rest of Leyte
- Central Visayas: Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Siquijor
- Western Visayas: Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Siquijor
Mindanao
- Dinagat Islands
- Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, the northern portion of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza, Cortes, City of Tandag, Bayabas, Cagwait, San Miguel, Tago, Marihatag, San Agustin, Lianga, Barobo)
- Agusan del Norte, the northeastern portion of Agusan del Sur (Sibagat, Esperanza, City of Bayugan, Prosperidad)
- Camiguin
- Misamis Oriental
Pagasa warned that on Saturday morning, heavy to intense rains with at times torrential rains are likely to prevail in the entire Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Quezon province including Pollilo Islands, Marinduque, Romblon, Samar, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Occidental Mindoro, and Oriental Mindoro.
During the same time period, moderate to heavy rains with at times intense rains may occur over Metro Manila, Zamboanga Peninsula, BARMM, Aurora, Bulacan, Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo Islands, Northern Samar, Negros Oriental, Cebu, and the rest of Calabarzon and Eastern Visayas.
Light to moderate rains with at times heavy rains are also possible over Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bataan, and the rest of Visayas.
Paeng’s forecast track still puts it in a direct hit over Quezon province, and then Metro Manila.
Pagasa expects the cyclone to hit the National Capital Region as a weakened tropical storm between Saturday afternoon and Saturday night, before emerging over Manila Bay.
As it moves over warmer seas in the West Philippine Sea, it would re-intensify into a severe tropical storm.
READ: Paeng may make landfall in either CamSur, Albay, or Catanduanes — Pagasa