9 areas under Signal No. 1, Auring makes landfall over Batag Island

Tropical Depression Auring (international name: Dujuan) has made landfall over Batag Island in Laoang, Northern Samar at 9 a.m. on Monday, PAGASA said.

The  state weather agency said Auring is now heading towards the Albay-Sorsogon area.

PAGASA said Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 was raised over the following areas:

• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands
• Albay
• Catanduanes
• eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Presentacion, Sagnay, Buhi, Iriga City, Nabua, Bato, Balatan)
• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Biliran

According to PAGASA, moderate to heavy rains are expected over Northern Samar, Bicol Region, Marinduque, Romblon, and Quezon.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains will be experienced over Western Visayas, Aurora, Rizal, Samar, northern portion of Eastern Samar and the rest of MIMAROPA.

PAGASA warned of possible isolated to scattered flooding, including flash floods, and rain-induced landslides during heavy or prolonged rainfall in areas that are prone to these hazards or have experienced significant rainfall over the past couple of days.

Even without rainfall, PAGASA added that adjacent or nearby areas may also experience flooding due to surface runoff or swelling of river channels.

The combined effects of the northeast monsoon and Auring will bring strong breeze conditions with occasionally higher gusts over the areas under Signal No. 1 in the next 24 hours.

Same condition will be experienced over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Aurora, Quezon, Marinduque, Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, Cuyo Islands, Cagayancillo Islands, Western Visayas, and the rest of Eastern Visayas and Bicol Region, PAGASA said.

Rough seas are expected over the seaboards of areas under Signal No. 1, the eastern seaboard of Central Luzon, the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon of up to 3.5 meters, the southern seaboard of Luzon and the remaining seaboards of Eastern Visayas of up to 3 meters in the next 24 hours.

“Sea travel is risky especially for those using small seacrafts,” PAGASA warned.

Moderate to rough seas of up to 2.5 meters will be experienced over the remaining seaboards of Luzon and Visayas, and the northern, eastern, and western seaboards of Mindanao.

“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.

At 10 a.m., Auring was located at 30 kilomters northeast of Catarman, Northern Samar with maximum sustained winds of 45 km per hour and gustiness of up to 55 km/h.

Auring was moving north northwestward at 15 km/h, PAGASA said.

“It is forecast to continue moving generally northwestward throughout the forecast period,” PAGASA said.   

“The disturbance is forecast to weaken considerably due to significant terrain interaction leading to deterioration into a remnant low within 24 hours or possibly sooner,” it added.

Classes were canceled in some areas and flights were also canceled due to the bad weather. —AOL/KG, GMA News