Typhoon Ursula makes landfall in Eastern Samar on afternoon of Christmas Eve

Typhoon Ursula made landfall over Salcedo, Eastern Samar on Tuesday afternoon, Christmas eve, the state weather bureau PAGASA has announced.

PAGASA said the eye of the cyclone made landfall at 4:45 p.m.

According to its 5 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the eye wall of the typhoon caused violent winds over the southern portion of Eastern Samar and would most likely affect Biliran, the southern portion of Samar, and the northern portion of Leyte in the coming hours.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 has been raised over:

• Masbate including Ticao Island
• Northern Samar
• Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Extreme Northern Cebu including Camotes Island (Daaanbantayan, Medellin, Bantayan, Sta. Fe, Madridejos, San Francisco, Poro, Tudela, Pilar)

PAGASA said destructive typhoon force winds could begin affecting areas under Signal No. 3 in Masbate including Ticao Islands and portions of Northern Cebu by late Tuesday evening.

A storm surge of up to two meters may also affect several coastal areas of Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Leyte.

Signal No. 2 has been declared over:

• The southern portion of Quezon (Mulanay, San Narciso, San Andres, San Francisco)
• Marinduque
• Oriental Mindoro
• Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island
• Romblon
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Burias Island
• Calamian and Cuyo Islands
• The central portion of northern Cebu (Bogo City, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Borbon)
• Northeastern Iloilo (Carles, Balasan, Estancia, Batad, San Dionisio, Sara, Concepcion, Lemery, Ajuy)
• Northern Antique (Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, Culasi, Tibiao)
• Capiz
• Aklan
• Southern Leyte
• Northern Negros Occidental (Enrique B. Magalona, Victorias, Manapla, Cadiz, Sagay, Escalante, Toboso)
• Dinagat Islands

Areas under Signal No. 2 in Albay, Sorsogon, Romblon, Aklan, Capiz and portions of Antique, Iloilo, and rest of northern Cebu will be affected by damaging gale to storm-force winds starting Tuesday night while Marinduque, the southern portion of Quezon, Mindoro Provinces will be affected Wednesday (Christmas Day) morning.

Signal No. 1 is in effect over:

• Bulacan
• Bataan
• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• Cavite
• The rest of Quezon
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Camarines Sur
• Camarines Norte
• Catanduanes
• Northern Palawan (Linapacan, El Nido, Taytay, Araceli, Dumaran, San Vicente, Roxas)
• Rest of Cebu
• Bohol
• Siquijor
• The rest of Antique
• The rest of Iloilo
• Guimaras
• Negros Oriental
• The rest of Negros Occidental
• Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands

PAGASA added that moderate to strong winds would begin affecting Bicol Region and portions of Central Visayas on Tuesday night; CALABARZON and portions of MIMAROPA and Western Visayas on Wednesday morning; and Metro Manila, Bulacan, and Bataan on Wednesday afternoon.

Forecast positions

As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, the eye of Ursula was located 20 kilometers east northeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar carrying maximum sustained winds of up to 120 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 150 kph.

The typhoon continues to move west at 25 kph.

By Wednesday, Ursula will be in the vicinity of Magsaysay, Occidental Mindoro.

By Thursday afternoon, it will be 310 kilometers west northwest of Coron, Palawan.

By Friday afternoon, the typhoon will be 490 kilometers west of Subic, Zambales.

Ursula will exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Saturday afternoon.

Rainfall outlook

Between Tuesday and Wednesday noon, occasional to frequent heavy rains were forecast 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, while light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains will be over the rest of Bicol Region, Quezon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, and the rest of Visayas and Surigao del Norte.

Between Wednesday noon and late evening, occasional to frequent heavy rains will prevail over Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Romblon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Batangas, and Calamian Islands, while light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains will persist over Cuyo Islands, Negros Provinces, Iloilo, Guimaras, Aurora, and the rest of CALABARZON.

PAGASA advised residents of these areas to prepare for possible flooding and rain-induced landslides.

The state weather bureau also warned against sea travel due to rough sea conditions.  —NB, GMA News