13 areas remain under Signal No. 2 as Pepito maintains strength

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 is still raised over 13 areas in Luzon as Tropical Storm Pepito maintains its strength as it moves closer towards Aurora and Isabela provinces, PAGASA said Tuesday.

In its 2 p.m. severe weather bulletin, the weather bureau said the following areas are still under TCWS No. 2:

• La Union
• Pangasinan
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino
• Nueva Ecija
• Tarlac
• Aurora
• the southern portion of Isabela (Palanan, San Mariano, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Gamu, Burgos, San Manuel, Aurora, Cabatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Cauayan City, Dinapigue, San Guillermo, Angadanan, Alicia, San Mateo, Ramon, San Isidro, Echague, San Agustin, Jones, Santiago City, Cordon)
• the southern portion of Ilocos Sur (Sugpon, Alilem, Tagudin)
• the northern portion of Zambales (Iba, Palauig, Masinloc, Candelaria, Santa Cruz, Botolan, Cabangan)
• the northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar)

Meanwhile, 12 areas in Luzon were placed under TCWS No. 1:

• Abra
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Bulacan
• Pampanga
• Bataan
• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• the northern portion of Camarines Norte (Paracale, Jose Panganiban, Capalonga, Vinzons)
• Catanduanes
• the rest of northern portion of Quezon (Infanta, Real)
• the rest of Zambales

PAGASA said the center of Pepito was seen 195 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora at 1 p.m., with maximum sustained winds of 65 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It is moving west northwestward at 25 kph.

The weather agency said Pepito is forecasted to make landfall over the coast of Aurora-Isabela area between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Tuesday. It will then cross the Luzon landmass and emerge over the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday morning.

After crossing the landmass of Luzon, PAGASA said Pepito may intensify and reach severe tropical storm category by Thursday, the same day it is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility.

Hazards affecting land areas

PAGASA said Pepito will bring moderate to heavy rains over Bicol Region, MIMAROPA, Quezon, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Isabela, mainland Cagayan, Pangasinan and Benguet.

Meanwhile, light to moderate, with at times, heavy rains will be experienced over Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and Bangsamoro.

PAGASA advised affected residents to prepare for possible flash floods and landslides during heavy or prolonged rainfall.

High to gale-force winds will also be experienced in areas under TCWS No. 1 and 2, while high to gale-force winds with occasional gusts will prevail over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, the coastal and/or mountainous areas of mainland Cagayan, Apayao and Ilocos Norte due to the northeasterly surface wind flow.

Hazards affecting coastal waters

Moreover, PAGASA said gale warning is in effect over the seaboards of Batanes, Cagayan and Ilocos Norte due to rough to very rough seas.

The seaboards of areas under TCWS No. 1 and 2 will also experience rough to very rough seas, it added.

“Sea travel is risky over these areas, especially for those using small seacrafts,” PAGASA said.

Moderate to rough seas, meanwhile, will be experienced in the western and eastern seaboards of Southern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Eastern Visayas, Caraga and Davao Region.

“Those with small seacrafts are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea. Inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating in these conditions,” PAGASA said.

Effects

Even before it intensified, rains spawned by Pepito have already caused floods in several areas.

In Lopez, Quezon, portions of the Maharlika Highway became flooded on Tuesday. Floodwaters in some barangays reached waist level.

In Cotabato, rivers overflowed in President Roxas and Magpet. Residents evacuated in Pikit and Kabacan. One person died in Makilala after being caught in a mudslide.

Meanwhile, in Baggao, Cagayan, some bridges were flooded and landslides were reported. —KBK, GMA News