SIGNAL 2 UP OVER 12 AREAS

Dante makes Eastern Samar landfall; moderate-intense rain over the Visayas, southeast Luzon

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal 2 remained raised over 12 areas as Tropical Storm Dante (international name Choi-wan) made its initial landfall in the vicinity of Sulat, Eastern Samar, PAGASA said Tuesday night.

In its 11 p.m. severe weather bulletin, PAGASA said the center of Dante was in the vicinity of Tarangnan, Samar with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness up to 80 kph and central pressure of 998 hPa.

From Tuesday night to Wednesday evening, Dante was forecast to bring moderate to heavy with, at times, intense rains over Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands, Bohol, Siquijor, Negros Oriental, northern Negros Occidental, northeastern Iloilo, Capiz, Marinduque, Romblon, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Sorsogon, Albay, and Quezon including Polillo Islands.

Moderate to heavy rains would aslo prevail over Occidental Mindoro, Cuyo Islands, the rest of the Bicol Region, and the rest of Visayas.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains are also likely over Metro Manila, Central Luzon, the rest of CALABARZON, Oriental Mindoro, Calamian Islands, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, and Misamis Oriental.

"Under these conditions and considering antecedent rainfall, scattered to widespread flooding (including flash floods) and rain-induced landslides are expected, especially in areas with high or very high susceptibility to these hazards as identified in hazard maps," PAGASA said.

"Adjacent or nearby areas may also experience flooding in the absence of such rainfall occurrence due to surface runoff or swelling of river channels," it added.

Meanwhile TCWS No. 2 was hoisted over:

Luzon

• Masbate
• Sorsogon
• Catanduanes
• Albay
• Camarines Sur
• Camarines Norte
• the eastern portion of Romblon (Cajidiocan, Magdiwang, San Fernando)
• the eastern portion of Marinduque (Santa Cruz, Torrijos)
• the southern portion of Quezon (Atimonan, Padre Burgos, Agdangan, Unisan, Perez, Alabat, Plaridel, Gumaca, Quezon, Calauag, Tagkawayan, Guinayangan, Lopez, Pitogo, Macalelon, General Luna, Catanauan, Buenavista, San Narciso, Mulanay, San Francisco, San Andres)

Visayas

• Biliran
• the northern and central portions of Samar (Santa Rita, Villareal, Daram, Talalora, Zumarraga, Pinabacdao, Calbiga, San Sebastian, Paranas, Hinabangan, San Jose de Buan, Matuguinao, Motiong, Jiabong, City of Catbalogan, Tarangnan, San Jorge, Gandara, Santa Margarita, Pagsanghan, Calbayog City, Tagapul-An, Almagro, Santo Niño)
• the western portion of Northern Samar (Las Navas, Pambujan, San Roque, Silvino Lobos, Mondragon, Lope de Vega, Catarman, Bobon, San Jose, Rosario, Lavezares, Biri, Allen, Victoria, San Isidro, San Antonio, Capul, San Vicente)

Meanwhile, TCWS No. 1 was raised over:

Luzon

• Quirino
• Aurora
• Nueva Vizcaya
• the eastern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Pantabangan, Bongabon, Laur, Gabaldon, General Tinio, Palayan City, Rizal, General Mamerto Natividad)
• the eastern portion Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, Norzagaray)
• Rizal
• Laguna
• the eastern portion of Batangas (San Juan, Lobo, Rosario, Taysan, City of Tanauan, Santo Tomas, Lipa City, Padre Garcia, Batangas City, Ibaan, San Jose, Mataasnakahoy, Balete, Malvar)

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• the rest of Quezon including Polillo Islands
• the rest of Marinduque
• the rest of Romblon
• Oriental Mindoro

Visayas

• Eastern Samar
• the rest of Samar
• the rest of Northern Samar
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• Aklan
• the northern portion of Capiz (Mambusao, SapiAn, Jamindan, Sigma, Dao, Ma-Ayon, Ivisan, Roxas City, Panay, Panitan, Pontevedra, President Roxas, Pilar, Cuartero)
• the northeastern portion of Iloilo (Lemery, Ajuy, Sara, Concepcion, San Dionisio, Batad, Carles, Balasan, Estancia),
• the northern portion of Negros Occidental (Manapla, Cadiz City, Sagay City, City of Escalante, Toboso, City of Victorias, Calatrava)
• the northern portion of Cebu (Balamban, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Cordova, Mandaue City, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, Danao City, Tuburan, Asturias, Carmen, Catmon, Sogod, Tabuelan, Tabogon, Borbon, San Remigio, City of Bogo, Medellin, Daanbantayan, Toledo City, City of Talisay, Minglanilla) including Bantayan and Camotes Islands
• the northeastern portion of Bohol (Getafe, Talibon, Bien Unido, Trinidad, Ubay, San Miguel, Buenavista, Danao, Inabanga, Alicia, Dagohoy, Pilar, Mabini, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Candijay, Anda, Guindulman)

Mindanao

•    Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands
•    Dinagat Island
•    the northern portion of Agusan del Norte (Kitcharao, Jabonga)
•    the northern portion of Agusan del Sur (Sibagat)
•    the northern portion of Surigao del Sur (Cantilan, Carrascal)

PAGASA said that areas under TCWS No. 2 would experience strong to gale-force winds; while strong winds, which may cause generally very light damage to structures and vegetation, will be experienced in areas under TCWS No. 1.

In the next 24 hours, rough to very rough seas will prevail over the seaboards of areas under TCWS No. 2 and the eastern seaboard of Caraga (2.5 to 4.5 meters).

Moderate to rough seas (1.2 to 3.0 m) will also be experienced over the eastern seaboard of Davao Oriental and the remaining seaboards of areas under TCWS No. 1.

"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.

With Dante moving west-northwestward at 15 kph, the tropical storm was projected to make landfall in the vicinity of Sorsogon or Masbate and traverse the Bicol Peninsula before emerging over the eastern coastal waters of Quezon.

Dante was also predicted to continue moving generally west-northwestward or northwestward until Thursday morning.

While the tropical storm was forecast to maintain its strength for the next 24 hours before eventually weakening into a tropical depression, PAGASA added that there was an increasing likelihood that Dante would be downgraded to a tropical depression at a much earlier time frame. — DVM, GMA News