Signal No. 1 up in 18 provinces as Typhoon ‘Pablo’ accelerates

MANILA, Philippines—Public storm Signal No. 1 was raised over several provinces in Visayas and Mindanao as Typhoon “Pablo” (international codename: Bopha) accelerated from 22 kilometers per hour to 26 kph Sunday night.

The affected areas in the Visayas are: Bohol, Biliran, Camotes Island, Southern Leyte, Leyte, Eastern Samar, and Western Samar.

Meanwhile, the provinces in Mindanao that were placed under the storm signal warning are: Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte including Siargao Island, Dinagat Is., Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte inc. Samal Is., Compostela Valley, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental and Camiguin.

As of 10 p.m. Sunday, Pablo was located 810 kilometers southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur.

It was packing maximum sustained winds of 185 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 220 kph.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration advised fishing boats and other small seacrafts not to venture out into the eastern seaboards of Visayas and Mindanao.