Pagasa warns of flashfloods, landslides in Bicol, Visayas due to ‘Urduja’

Residents in the Bicol region and the Visayas should brace for flashfloods and landslides due to persistent rainfall brought by Tropical Storm “Urduja,” according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

This, as Urduja slowed down and remained “quasi-stationary” while moving northwest at 5 kilometers per hour (kph) towards Visayas, Pagasa said in its 5 p.m. severe weather bulletin.

The tropical storm was last tracked 240 kilometers east of Borongan City, Eastern Samar, Pagasa said. The storm packed maximum sustained winds of 75 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.

Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected within Urduja’s 500 kilometer diameter, Pagasa said. Scattered to widespread rains will prevail over Bicol region and Visayas.

“Residents of these areas must undertake appropriate measures against flooding and landslides and coordinate with their respective local government and disaster risk reduction and management office,” the state weather bureau said.

As of this posting, the Tacloban City Council declared a state of calamity.

Sea travel remained risky over the eastern seaboards of Bicol and Visayas due to Urduja, Pagasa said.

Signal No. 2 was raised in these provinces:
-Northern Samar
-Eastern Samar
-Samar
-Biliran

Signal No. 1 was hoisted in these areas:
-Catanduanes
-Camarines Sur
-Albay
-Sorsogon
-Romblon
-Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands
-Leyte
-Southern Leyte
-Northern Cebu
-Capiz
-Aklan
-Northern Iloilo
-Dinagat Islands