MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 4 is up over four areas in Northern Luzon as Typhoon Marce (international name: Yinxing) gained strength and swirled east of Cagayan, the state weather agency said Thursday morning.
In its 8 a.m. weather forecast, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said TCWS No. 4 is up over the following areas:
- Northern portion of mainland Cagayan (Gonzaga, Santa Ana, Santa Teresita, Lal-Lo, Buguey, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Gattaran, Ballesteros, Allacapan, Abulug, Pamplona, Sanchez-Mira, Claveria, Santa Praxedes, Lasam) including Babuyan Islands
- Northeastern portion of Apayao (Santa Marcela, Luna, Flora)
- Northern portion of Ilocos Norte (Pagudpud)
Storm surge and gale warnings are hoisted over several parts of Luzon.
Tracking Marce
Pagasa added that Marce was last spotted some 175 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan, with a maximum wind speed of 165 kilometers per hour (kph), gusts of up to 205 kph and slowly moving west-northwest.
Pagasa added that the Marce is “forecast to approach the northern portion of Cagayan during its peak intensity.”
It may, however, weaken starting on Thursday afternoon “due to possible interaction with the terrain of mainland Luzon during the landfall or close approach of Marce.”
Marce will make a landfall and pass through Babuyan Islands and/or northern portions of mainland Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, and Apayao from Thursday afternoon until early Friday morning.
Signal No. 3
TCWS No. 3 is up over the following areas:
- Batanes
- Rest of Cagayan
- Rest of Apayao
- Rest of Ilocos Norte
- Northern portion of Abra (Tineg, Danglas, Lagayan, Lacub, San Juan, La Paz, Bangued)
- Northern portion of Ilocos Sur (Sinait, Cabugao, San Juan, Magsingal, Santo Domingo)
Signal No. 2
TCWS No. 2 is in effect in the following areas:
- Northern and central portions of Isabela (San Pablo, Santa Maria, Divilacan, Tumauini, Maconacon, Cabagan, Santo Tomas, Quezon, Palanan, Ilagan City, Mallig, Delfin Albano, Quirino, San Mariano, Gamu, Roxas, Naguilian, Burgos, Reina Mercedes, Benito Soliven, Luna, Aurora, San Manuel, San Mateo, Alicia, Angadanan, City of Cauayan, Cabatuan)
- Rest of Abra
- Kalinga
- Mountain Province
- Northern portion of Ifugao (Alfonso Lista, Aguinaldo, Mayoyao, Banaue, Hungduan)
- Northern portion of Benguet (Bakun, Mankayan)
- Rest of Ilocos Sur
- Northern portion of La Union (Sudipen, Bangar, Balaoan, Luna, Santol)
Signal No. 1
TCWS No. 1 is up over the following areas:
- Rest of La Union
- Pangasinan
- Rest of Ifugao
- Rest of Benguet
- Rest of Isabela
- Quirino
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Northern and central portions of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler)
- Northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan)
- Northern portion of Zambales (Santa Cruz, Candelaria)
Storm surge warning!!!
Meanwhile, storm surge warnings are in place for the next 48 hours in low-lying coastal communities of the following areas:
- Batanes
- Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
- Isabela
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
- La Union
Gale warning
A gale warning is also up over the seaboards of Northern Luzon and Central Luzon.