Signal 1 raised over 16 areas as Quinta maintains its strength

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 was raised over Metro Manila and 15 other areas as Tropical Depression Quinta maintained its strength while moving westward towards the Bicol Region, PAGASA said Saturday evening.

According to the 11 p.m. severe weather bulletin, the areas placed under TCWS No. 1 were:

• Catanduanes
• Sorsogon
• Albay
• The northern portion of Masbate (Mobo, Uson, Milagros, Masbate City, Baleno, Mandaon, Balud, Aroroy, Dimasalang) including Burias and Ticao Islands
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Quezon
• Laguna
• Rizal
• Batangas
• Cavite
• Metro Manila
• Occidental Mindoro
• Oriental Mindoro
• Marinduque
• Romblon

At 10 p.m. on Saturday, the center of Quinta was 505 kilometers east of Juban, Sorsogon with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 70 kph.

It is moving westward at 20 kph.

PAGASA said Quinta was forecast to make landfall over the Bicol Region on Sunday or early Monday morning. It was also expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Tuesday morning or afternoon.

Quinta is also expected to intensify into a tropical storm within the next 12 to 24 hours and may further intensify into a severe tropical storm before landfall.

“After crossing the Philippine archipelago, this tropical cyclone will continue intensifying over the West Philippine Sea, reaching typhoon category by Tuesday evening,” PAGASA said.

Hazards

On Sunday, Quinta was expected to bring moderate to heavy rain over the Bicol Region, Northern Samar, and Quezon as well as light to moderate with, at times, heavy rains over Aurora, Metro Manila, MIMAROPA, Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangsamoro, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and the rest of CALABARZON and the Visayas.

The tail-end of a frontal system will, meanwhile, bring moderate to heavy rain over the northern portions of mainland Cagayan, including the Babuyan Islands, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte.

It was also expected to bring light to moderate with at times heavy rain over the Batanes, and the rest of Cagayan, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte.

PAGASA warned of possible flooding, rain-induced landslides, and sediment-laden streamflows such as lahar, which may occur during heavy or prolonged rainfall.

Meanwhile, a strong breeze to near gale conditions was expected to prevail in areas under TCWS 1 within 36 hours after the raising of the signal while a strong breeze to gale conditions may prevail over the Batanes, the Babuyan Islands, and the northern coastal areas of Ilocos Norte and mainland Cagayan.

Rough to very rough seas will, meanwhile, prevail over the entire seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon, the western seaboards of Bataan, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, including Lubang Island, and northern Palawan, including Clamaian and Kalayaan Islands, and the seaboard of Aurora as well as all areas under TCWS 1.

Moderate to rough seas will also prevail over the other seaboards of the country.

PAGASA advised mariners on small seacraft to take precautionary measures. — DVM, GMA News