Cyclone signal No. 1 raised over Northern and Eastern Samar due to Ambo

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 was raised over the northern portion of Eastern Samar and the eastern portion of Northern Samar on Wednesday due to tropical storm Ambo, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

The state weather bureau said the affected areas are the towns and cities of Jipapad, Maslog, Arteche, San Policarpio, Oras, Dolores, Can-avid, Taft, Sulat, San Julian, and Borongan in the northern portion of Eastern Samar; as well as Lapinig, Gamay, Mapanas, Palapag, Laoang, Catubig, and Las Navas in the eastern portion of Northern Samar.

TCWS No. 1 means a tropical cyclone will affect the locality, and winds of 30 to 60 kilometers per hour (kph) may be expected in at least 36 hours, or intermittent rains may be expected within 36 hours.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers due to localized thunderstorms, according to the weather bureau.

In a severe weather bulletin issued at 5 a.m., Pagasa said tropical storm Ambo further intensified as it is forecast to bring scattered light to moderate with at times heavy rainshowers during thunderstorms over Eastern Visayas on Wednesday.

Ambo will also bring moderate to heavy rains over Eastern Visayas, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate on Thursday.

“Residents in these areas are advised to take precautionary measures, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and continue monitoring for updates, especially the local rainfall or thunderstorm advisories and heavy rainfall warnings from Pagasa Regional Services Divisions,” the weather bureau said.

At 4 a.m. Wednesday, the eye or center of Ambo was last spotted 410 kilometers east of Borongan City, Eastern Samar. Moving north northwest at 15 kilometers per hour (kph), the tropical storm is packing maximum sustained winds of 85 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 105 kph.

The weather disturbance is expected to further intensify as it approaches the Eastern Visayas-Bicol Region area, according to Pagasa.

Pagasa warned that flooding and rain-induced landslides may occur in highly to very highly susceptible areas during heavy or prolonged rainfall.

Strong to “near-gale force winds” associated with the tropical storm will begin affecting the areas under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal #1 on Thursday afternoon, the bureau added.

Rough sea conditions will be experienced over the eastern seaboard of Bicol Region and the northern and eastern seaboards of Eastern Visayas today. Sea travel is risky over these areas.

EDV