TS Falcon moving slightly faster towards Babuyan Islands

Tropical Storm Falcon is now off the coast of Aparri, Cagayan and headed towards Babuyan group of Islands, PAGASA reported in the Severe Weather Bulletin issued on Wednesday morning.

As of 4 a.m., the center of Tropical Storm Falcon was estimated in the coastal waters of Aparri, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph moving west northwest at 35 kph.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 is raised over Apayao, Batanes, and Cagayan including Babuyan Group of Islands.

TCWS No.1 is hoisted over Ilocos Norte, Abra, Kalinga, Isabela, Mountain Province, Ifugao, northern portion of Aurora, northern portion of Nueva Vizcaya, and northern portion of Quirino.

On Wednesday, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, northern Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo Islands, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, and Guimaras will have moderate to heavy rains.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, Bicol Region, and the rest of Visayas, and the rest of MIMAROPA will have light to moderate with at times heavy rains.

On Thursday evening, Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, Batangas, Cavite, and Occidental Mindoro. Meanwhile, light to moderate with at times heavy rains may prevail over the Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, rest of Central Luzon and CALABARZON, and MIMAROPA will have moderate to heavy rains.

Residents in the affected areas and those living in flood-prone and landslide-prone areas are advised to take precautionary measures, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and continue monitoring for updates.

Sea travel is risky over the seaboards of areas under TCWS, the eastern seaboard of Central Luzon, the seaboard of Southern Luzon, and the eastern and western seaboards of Visayas.

Falcon may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Friday morning, July 19.

The next Severe Weather Bulletin to be issued at 8 a.m. on Wednesday. — BAP, GMA News