Signal No. 2 up over 12 areas as Quinta threatens Bicol

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 was raised over 12 areas on Sunday morning due to Tropical Storm Quinta (international name: Molave), which is approaching the Catanduanes-Albay-Sorsogon area, according to state weather bureau PAGASA.

In an 8 a.m. bulletin on Sunday, PAGASA said the following areas are under Signal No. 2:

• Catanduanes
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• the northern portion of Masbate (Milagros, Masbate City, Mobo, Baleno, Aroroy, Mandaon, Uson) including Burias and Ticao Islands
• the central and southern portions of Quezon (Mauban, Sampaloc, Lucban, Dolores, Candelaria, Tiaong, San Antonio, Sariaya, Tayabas City, Lucena City, Pagbilao, Atimonan, Perez, Alabat, Calauag, Quezon, Tagkawayan, Guinayangan, Lopez, Pitogo, Plaridel, Gumaca, Unisan, Agdangan, Padre Burgos, Macalelon, Catanauan, General Luna, Buenavista, San Narciso, Mulanay, San Andres, San Francisco)
• the eastern portion of Batangas (Padre Garcia, Rosario, Ibaan, Batangas City, Lobo, Taysan, San Juan)
• Marinduque
• Romblon
• Oriental Mindoro
• Northern Samar

Meanwhile, PAGASA said Signal No.1 was hoisted over the following areas:

• the rest of Masbate
• the rest of Quezon
• Laguna
• Rizal
• the rest of Batangas
• Cavite
• Metro Manila
•  Bulacan
• Pampanga
• Bataan
• southern portion of Zambales (San Marcelino, San Felipe, San Narciso, Castillejos, Subic, San Antonio, Olongapo City, Botolan, Cabangan)
• Occidental Mindoro
• Calamian Islands
• northern portion of Samar (Calbayog City, Matuguinao, Tagapul-An, Santo Nino, Almagro, Santa Margarita, Gandara, San Jose de Buan, Pagsanghan, Tarangnan, San Jorge, Catbalogan City, Jiabong, Motiong, Paranas)
• northern portion of Eastern Samar (Maslog, Jipapad, Arteche, San Policarpo, Oras, Dolores, Can-Avid, Taft)
• northern portion of Capiz (Sapi-An, Ivisan, Roxas City, Panay)
• Aklan
• northern portion of Antique (Caluya, Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, Culasi)
   

Quinta is expected to make landfall over the Catanduanes-Albay-Sorsogon area on Sunday afternoon or evening.

According to PAGASA, Quinta will possibly develop into a severe tropical storm as it makes landfall.

Rainfall

Due to Quinta, moderate to heavy with at times intense rains are expected over Bicol Region, CALABARZON, Aurora, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Marinduque, Calamian Islands, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Aklan, and Antique.

Heavy with at times intense rains can be experienced over the northern portions of mainland Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte, due to the tail-end of a frontal system.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains meanwhile will be felt over Metro Manila, Cordillera Administrative Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangsamoro, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and the rest of Visayas, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and MIMAROPA due to Quinta and the tail-end of a frontal system.

PAGASA warned of possible flooding including flash floods, rain-induced landslides, and sediment-laden streamflows like lahars during heavy or prolonged rainfall especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards.

Wind conditions, coastal waters

Gale conditions are expected in areas under TCWS No. 2, while strong breeze to near gale conditions will be experienced in areas under TCWS No. 1, according to PAGASA.

Due to the northeasterly surge, PAGASA added that strong breeze to gale conditions will also prevail over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and the northern coastal areas of Ilocos Norte and mainland Cagayan.

Rough to very rough seas are expected over the entire seaboards of Northern Luzon (3.0 to 5.5 m) and the seaboards of Aurora, Zambales, northern Palawan including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands (2.5 to 4.5 m), and all areas under Signal No. 1 and 2 (2.5 to 5.5 m).

“Sea travel is risky over these waters, especially for small seacrafts,” PAGASA warned.

Moderate to rough seas (1.2 to 2.8 m) will be experienced over the other seaboards of the country.

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

Track, location

After making landfall, Quinta will cross the Southern Luzon area until Monday afternoon or evening. It will then turn west-northwestward over the West Philippine Sea.

At 7:00 a.m., Quinta was located at 265 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes with maximum sustained winds of 75 km per hour and gustiness of up to 90 km/h.

It is moving westward at 20 km/h.

Quinta is likely to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday afternoon, PAGASA said. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA News