6 areas under Signal No. 3 as Ambo targets Samar provinces

Six areas were placed under Signal No. 3 as Typhoon Ambo maintained its strength as it targets the Samar provinces, according to state weather bureau PAGASA on Thursday noon.

Ambo is seen to make landfall over Northern Samar or the northern portion of Eastern Samar between 12 noon and 2 p.m. on Thursday, PAGASA said. It will bring heavy to intense with at times torrential rains in the Samar provinces, Masbate, Sorsogon, and Catanduanes.

Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains are meanwhile expected over Albay, Camarines Sur, and the rest of Eastern Visayas.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 was raised in the following areas in Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions:

• Sorsogon
• Albay
• Ticao Island
• Northern Samar
• the northern portion of Eastern Samar (Jipapad, Arteche, Maslog, Dolores, Oras, San Policarpio, Canavid, Taft, Sulat, San Julian, Borongan City, Maydolon)
• the northern portion of Samar (Calbayog City, Sta. Margarita, Gandara, Pagsanghan,San Jorge, Matuguinao, San Jose de Buan, Catbalogan, Jiabong, Motiong, Paranas, Tarangnan, San Sebastian, Hinabangan)

Under Signal No. 2, meanwhile, are:

• The southern portion of Quezon (Pagbilao, Atimonan, Padre Burgos, Plaridel, Agdangan, Unisan, Gumaca, Pitogo, Macalelon, Lopez, Caluag, General Luna, Catanauan, Perez, Alabat, Quezon, Tagkawayan, Guinayangan, Buenavista, San Narciso, Mulanay, San Andres, San Francisco),
• Camarines Norte,
• Camarines Sur,
• Catanduanes,
• Burias Island,
• mainland Masbate,
• Marinduque
• Biliran,
• the rest of Samar,
• the rest of Eastern Samar

Those under Signal No. 1 are:

• Aurora,
• the southern portion of Nueva Ecija (General Mamerto Natividad, Palayan City, Cabanatuan, Santa Rosa, Jaen, San Isidro, San Antonio, Cabiao, Bongabon, Gabaldon, General Tinio, Laur, San Leonardo, Peñaranda, Gapan City),
• Bulacan,
• Metro Manila,
• Cavite,
• Laguna,
• Batangas,
• Rizal, the rest of Quezon,
• Romblon,
• Bataan, and
• Pampanga
• northern portion of Leyte (Calubian, San Isidro, Tabango, Villaba, Leyte, Kananga, Capoocan, Carigara, Barugo, San Miguel, Babatngon, Tunga, Jaro, Alangalang, Sta. Fe, Tacloban City, Palo, Pastrana, Dagami, Tabontabon, Tanauan, Tolosa, Ormoc City, Matag-ob, Palompon, Merida, Isabel, Albuera, Burauen, Julita, Dulag)

Within 12 hours, violent winds and heavy to torrential rains of the eyewall region will begin affecting Northern Samar and the northern portions of Samar and Eastern Samar, PAGASA said.

Residents in affected areas are advised to take appropriate measures, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and continue monitoring for rainfall advisories.

PAGASA warned of possible flooding and rain-induced landslides in highly to very highly susceptible areas during heavy or prolonged rainfall.

Storm surge surge of 2.0 to 4.0 meters may hit the coastal areas of Northern Samar, Eastern Samar (east coast), Samar (west coast), Sorsogon, Albay, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Quezon, and Aurora within 24 hours.

PAGASA warned that the storm surge may cause potentially life-threatening coastal inundation.

Sea travel is risky for all types of seacrafts over the seaboards of areas under TCWS.

On Friday, PAGASA said heavy to intense with at times torrential rains are expected over Bicol Region, while  moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Northern Samar, Quezon, Aurora, Marinduque, and Romblon.

As of 10 a.m. on Thursday, the location Ambo, which was moving west at 15 km/h, was at 140 km east-southeast of Catarman, Northern Samar. It was packing maximum sustained winds of up to 150 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 185 km/h. --KBK, GMA News