Ursula landfall expected over Eastern Samar on Christmas Eve; Signal 2 up over 11 areas

Ursula has intensified into a severe tropical storm on Tuesday morning and is expected to make landfall over Eastern Samar in the afternoon or evening, PAGASA said.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 has been raised over several areas:

1. Albay
2. Sorsogon
3. Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands
4. Northern Samar
5. Eastern Samar
6. Samar
7. Leyte
8. Biliran
9. extreme northern Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands (Bantayan, Madridejos, Santa Fe, Daanbantayan, Medellin, San Remigio, Bogo City, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Borbon, San Francisco, Poro, Tudela, Pilar)
10. northeastern Iloilo (Carles, Balasan, Estancia, Batad, San Dionisio, Sara, Concepcion)
11. northeastern Capiz (Pilar, President Roxas, Pontevedra, Panay)

The above-mentioned areas will experience Ursula's 61-120 kph winds in 24 hours.

TCWS No. 1 meanwhile was hoisted over the following areas:

1. Bulacan
2. Bataan
3. Metro Manila
4. Rizal
5. Cavite
6. Quezon
7. Laguna
8. Batangas
9. Camarines Sur
10. Camarines Norte
11. Catanduanes
12. Marinduque
13. Romblon
14. Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island, Oriental Mindoro, Calamian Islands, and Cuyo Islands
15. Southern Leyte
16. the rest of northern Cebu (Carmen, Asturias, Tuburan, Catmon, Sogod)
17. Central Cebu (Aloguinsan, Carcar City, Pinamungahan, San Fernando, Naga City, Toledo City, Minglanilla, Balamban, Talisay City, Cebu City, Cordova, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, Danao City)
18. northeastern Bohol (Inabanga, Danao, Dagohoy, Pilar, Guindulman, Anda, Candijay, Alicia, Buenavista, Jetafe, Talibon, Trinidad, Bien Unido, San Miguel, Ubay, Mabini, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia)
19. Aklan
20. Antique
21. the rest of Capiz
22. the rest of Iloilo
23. Guimaras
24. northern Negros Occidental (Bacolod City, Bago City, Cadiz City, Calatrava, Enrique B. Magalona, Escalante City, La Carlota City, La Castellana, Manapla, Moises Padilla, Binalbagan, Hinigaran, Isabela, Murcia, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, Sagay City, Salvador Benedicto, San Carlos City, San Enrique, Silay City, Talisay City, Toboso, Valladolid, Victorias City)
25. northern Negros Oriental (Canlaon City, Guihulngan City, Jimalalud, La Libertad, Vallehermoso)
26. Dinagat Islands
27. Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands

The above-mentioned areas will experience winds of 30-60 kph in 36 hours.

PAGASA said they have not yet ruled out the possibility of Ursula intensifying into a typhoon before its landfall or while crossing the inland seas.

Rainfall

Occasional to frequent heavy rains are expected on Tuesday to Wednesday noon over Dinagat Islands, Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, Eastern Visayas, Sorsogon, Masbate, northern and central Cebu, northern Negros Provinces, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras and Romblon.

The rest of the Bicol Region, Quezon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, and the rest of Visayas and Surigao del Norte meanwhile will have light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains on Tuesday to Wednesday noon.

On Wednesday, Dec. 25, Christmas Day, from noon to late evening, occasional to frequent heavy rains are to be expected over Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Romblon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Batangas, and Calamian Islands.

Meanwhile, Cuyo Islands, Negros Provinces, Iloilo, Guimaras, Aurora and the rest of CALABARZON will have light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains.

As flooding and landslides may occur, PAGASA advised residents to take the necessary precautions in the above-mentioned areas.

Winds

Northeastern Mindanao and Eastern Visayas will start feeling Ursula's moderate to strong winds on Tuesday morning or noon.

The Bicol Region and portions of Central Visayas will do so on Tuesday afternoon or evening; CALABARZON and portions of MIMAROPA and Western Visayas on Wednesday morning, and Metro Manila, Bulacan, and Bataan on Wednesday morning or afternoon.

PAGASA said medium to high-risk structures may suffer light damage.

Gale to storm-force winds will begin affecting areas under TCWS No. 2 in Eastern Visayas on Tuesday afternoon, and in Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, and portions of Capiz, Iloilo, and northern Cebu by Tuesday night.

Sea travel will be risky as coastal waters will be rough starting Tuesday over the eastern seaboards of the country.

Such will also be the case over the inland waters of Southern Luzon and Visayas on Tuesday afternoon or evening, and the western seaboards of Southern Luzon on Wednesday afternoon.

As of 4 a.m., the eye of Ursula was located at 315 km east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

Ursula has maximum sustained winds of up to 95 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph.

It is moving west northwest at 30 kph.

Ursula is expected to be outside PAR by Sunday morning.

PAGASA advised the public and disaster risk reduction and management councils concerned to take the necessary precautions and await the 8 a.m. severe weather bulletin.

Several flights have been canceled on Tuesday due to the severe tropical storm. —KG, GMA News