Vinta to hit Mindanao Thursday night or Friday morning, but out of PAR by Xmas

Tropical Storm Vinta remained on track to make landfall in Mindanao Thursday evening or early Friday morning, but will be out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Christmas morning.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, weather bureau PAGASA said Vinta was last spotted 340 km. east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur as of 10 a.m., still packing the same maximum sustained winds of 65 kph and gustiness of 80 kph.

Vinta is forecast to hit land late Thursday evening or early Friday morning in Surigao-Davao Oriental area.

By 8 a.m. of Sunday, December 25, Vinta is expected to be outside of the PAR.

Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 2 is now raised in five provinces, with the addition of northern Davao Oriental. The other four provinces earlier placed under Signal No. 2 were Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur.

Meanwhile, Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1 was hoisted over the following areas: Southern Leyte, southern portion of Leyte, Southern Cebu, Siquijor, and Bohol,Dinagat Island, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, North Cotabato, Maguindanao, Rest of Davao Oriental, Northern Davao del Sur, Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, and Zamboanga del Sur

Esperanza Cayanan, chief of PAGASA's weather division, warned people in Mindanao, which is rarely hit by storms, to take extra precaution.

"Hindi sanay sa bagyo ang Mindanao kaya tayo ay nagbibgay ng babala sa mga nandoon," she said. — MDM, GMA News