Satellite Image-12:01 PM-July 5, 2015. PHOTO from noah.dost.gov.ph
Severe tropical storm “Egay” (international name: Linfa) slightly gained speed and maintained its strength over the last six hours, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said late Sunday morning.
According to its 11 a.m. bulletin, Egay packed maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 120 kph. It was moving northwest at nine kph with its center last seen over Mt. Cagagangan in Cagayan province.
Pagasa said that if Egay sticks to its track, it is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) by Wednesday afternoon.
Public storm warning signal no. 2 was hoisted over Batanes, Cagayan (including Calayan and Babuyan group of Islands), Apayao, Kalinga, Isabela, Ilocos Norte and Abra.
Signal no. 1, meanwhile, was up over Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, Ilocos Sur, Aurora, La Union, Mt. Province and Ifugao.
The state weather bureau advised fishermen and small seacraft to not venture into the seaboards of Luzon and the Visayas. It also cautioned residents in mountainous and low-lying areas under storm signals and the rest of Luzon against possible flashfloods and landslides
On the other hand, the Philippine Coast Guard said that as of 4 a.m. 1,027 passengers, 51 vessels, 32 motor bancas and six rolling cargoes were stranded in various ports due to the tropical storm.
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