Signal No. 1 up over Eastern Samar due to Tropical Depression ‘Urduja’

Storm Signal No. 1 has been raised over Eastern Samar as Tropical Depression “Urduja” continues to move toward the country, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Wednesday.

In its 5 p.m. severe weather bulletin, Pagasa said it expects Urduja to make landfall in Bicol or Eastern Visayas on Friday evening or Saturday morning.

Urduja was last spotted 395 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar as it continued to move closer to the areas of Sorsogon and Northern Samar.

The tropical depression is expected to move northwest at 7 kilometers per hour (kph) with maximum sustained winds of up to 55 kph and gusts of up to 65 kph near the center.

Pagasa estimated the tropical depression’s rainfall amount from moderate to heavy within its 350 kilometer diameter.

The state weather bureau expects scattered to widespread rains over the Visayas and Bicol region. Fisher folk and those with small boats have been advised not to venture out over the eastern seaboard of these areas due to moderate to rough seas.