Tropical Storm Dante hits Luzon, Signal No. 2 in two areas

The track of Tropical Storm Dante

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Storm Dante (Choi-wan) slightly accelerated as it passed through the coast of Zambales, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Thursday.

As of 5 a.m., Dante was spotted over the coastal waters of Santa Cruz, Zambales, moving north northwestward at 25 kilometers per hour (kph) and packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gusts of up to 90 kph.

Gale-force winds are extending outward up to 50 km from the center of the storm, Pagasa added.

Tropical cyclone wind Signal No. 2 was raised over the following areas: 

-Zambales

-western portion of Pangasinan (Infanta, Mabini, Sual, Labrador, City of Alaminos, Anda, Bolinao, Bani, Agno, Burgos, Dasol)

Signal No. 1 was hoisted over the following areas:

-central portion of Pangasinan (Mangatarem, Aguilar, Bugallon, Lingayen, Binmaley, San Carlos City, Urbiztondo, Bayambang, Bautista, Alcala, Malasiqui, Basista, Santa Barbara, Mangaldan, San Fabian, Mapandan, San Jacinto, Dagupan City, Calasiao)

-Bataan

-Tarlac

-Pampanga

-western portion of Bulacan (City of Malolos, Calumpit, Paombong, Hagonoy, Bulacan, Pulilan, Plaridel, Guiguinto)

-western portion of Cavite (Tanza, Trece Martires City, Indang, Alfonso, Rosario, Cavite City, Noveleta, City of General Trias, Naic, Maragondon, General Emilio Aguinaldo, Magallanes, Ternate)

-western portion of Batangas (Calatagan, Lian, Nasugbu, Tuy, Balayan)

-Lubang Island

Moderate to heavy rains are expected in Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands, the northern portion of Palawan including Calamian Islands.

Meanwhile, light to moderate with at times heavy rains are expected in the Ilocos region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Oriental Mindoro, and the rest of Palawan including Cuyo and Kalayaan Islands.

Dante will continue moving north-northwest over the coastal waters of Zambales and Pangasinan, and then head toward the West Philippine Sea, Pagasa said.

The storm is likely to be downgraded into a tropical depression in the next 12 hours.

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