Ten areas under Signal No. 3 as Typhoon Pablo roars toward Mindanao

(Updated 7:07 p.m.) Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) accelerated Monday afternoon and is expected to make landfall before dawn Tuesday in the Davao Oriental and Surigao del Sur area with heavy rainfall and gusty winds of up to 200 kph, state weather forecasters said. President Benigno Aquino III faced the media to appeal for public vigilance and caution in the face of imminent danger from Typhoon Pablo, which is stronger than storm Sendong that ravaged northeastern Mindanao last year. “Hindi po biro ang potensyal na pinsalang dulot nitong bagyong si ‘Pablo,'" Aquino said in a statement aired on national television and radio. "Tinataya po na siya ang pinakamalakas na bagyong papasok sa ating bansa ngayong 2012. Intense rainfall po ang dulot ng bagyong ito, ibig sabihin isang antas na lang po ‘yung tinatawag na torrential rain ang magiging kategorya niya. Maraming-maraming tubig po ang ibubuhos nito,” he added. In its 5 pm bulletin on Monday, PAGASA said Typhoon Pablo was moving at a faster clip of 26 kph in a west-northwest direction. PAGASA forecaster Jori Loiz said in an interview on dzBB radio that the change in Typhoon Pablo's speed could mean landfall between 4 and 5 a.m. Tuesday. As of 4 p.m. Monday, PAGASA said Typhoon Pablo was spotted at 390 km southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, with maximum sustained winds of 175 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 210 kph. The storm is expected to be in the vicinity of Cagayan de Oro City by Tuesday afternoon. Storm signals As of Monday afternoon, 10 areas were under Storm Signal 3, where 101-185 kph winds are expected within at least 18 hours:

• Surigao del Norte including Siargao Islands
• Surigao del Sur
• Dinagat Province
• Agusan del Norte
• Agusan del Sur
• Misamis Oriental
• Bukidnon
• Davao Oriental
• Compostela Valley
• Davao del Norte including Samal Island

Meanwhile, the following areas were placed under Storm Signal No. 2, where 60 to 100 kph winds are expected for about 24 hours:

• Southern Leyte
• Bohol
• Southern Cebu
• Negros Oriental
• Siquijor
• Misamis Occidental
• Lanao del Norte
• Lanao del Sur
• North Cotabato
• Zamboanga del Norte

Under Storm Signal No. 1, where winds of 30 to 60 kph and the possibility of intermittent rains are expected, are the following areas:

• Northern Palawan including Calamian Group Of Islands and Cuyo Island
• Eastern Samar
• Western Samar
• Leyte including Biliran
• Aklan
• Capiz
• Antique
• Iloilo
• Guimaras
• Negros Occidental
• Rest of Cebu including Camotes Island
• Zamboanga del Sur
• Maguindanao
• Sultan Kudarat
• Sarangani
• South Cotabato

Relief supplies and evacuation PAGASA said Typhoon Pablo may bring heavy to intense rainfall of 15 to 30 mm per hour within its 600-km diameter. The weather bureau advised residents in low-lying and mountainous areas under storm signals against possible flash floods and landslides. President Aquino met with officials of disaster agencies Monday afternoon for a briefing. In his televised speech, he appealed to the public to cooperate with government agencies that have been issuing bulletins, pre-positioning relief supplies and rescue equipment, and leading preemptive evacuations. PAGASA warned residents near coastal areas under public storm signals 3 and 2 to be alert against big waves or storm surges. Fishing boats and other small seacraft were advised not to venture out into the eastern seaboards of Visayas and Mindanao. By Wednesday afternoon, typhoon Pablo is expected to be 110 km southwest of Iloilo City, and at 330 km west of Calapan City in Oriental Mindoro by Thursday afternoon. Canada, UK advise nationals in PHL to take precautions   As this developed, Canada and the United Kingdom advised their nationals in the Philippines to take precaution against bad weather conditions brought by Typhoon Pablo.   In an update to its travel advisory, the Canadian government said: “Typhoon Bopha is expected to make landfall on the eastern islands of the Philippines as a Category 3 typhoon, late on Monday, 3 December (Tuesday, 4 December, local time). Exercise caution, monitor local news and weather forecasts, and follow the advice of local authorities.”   The United Kingdom's Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued a similar advisory to its citizens who are currently in the provinces that are expected to be hit by the storm.   "The regions most affected are expected to be Mindanao and the Visayas. We advise British nationals in the affected areas to exercise caution during the passage of the storm and to monitor local news and weather forecasts, and follow the advice of the local authorities," it said.   Typhoon Pablo entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Sunday night.   The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council went on red alert Monday in preparation for the potentially disastrous impact of Typhoon Pablo. — with Patricia Denise Chiu and Shaira Panela/KBK/YA, GMA News