‘Kabayan’ intensifies into tropical storm; 9 provinces under signal No. 2

Tropical depression “Kabayan” intensified into a storm Thursday evening, threatening Central Luzon, the state weather bureau said in its latest bulletin issued  at 11 p.m.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) raised public storm signal No. 2 over Aurora, northern Quezon (including Polillo Island), Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija.

Metro Manila, the rest of Quezon and the provinces of Isabela, Ifugao, Mt. Province, Kalinga, Abra, Ilocos Sur, Zambales, Pampanga, Bataan, Bulacan, Rizal and Camarines Norte were placed under storm signal No. 1.

Pagasa said the new storm packed maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 80 kph.

The center of Kabayan was estimated at 170 kilometers north northeast of Daet, Camarines Norte or 85 km east southeast of Baler, Aurora.

It was forecast to move west northwest at 20 kph and exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Saturday evening.