Paeng maintains strength while moving closer to Samar provinces

Tropical Storm Paeng has maintained its strength while moving closer to the Eastern Samar-Northern Samar area, state weather bureau PAGASA said on Friday afternoon.

Signal No. 2 was raised over the following areas:

Luzon 

• Catanduanes
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands
• Camarines Sur
• Camarines Norte
• Marinduque
• the northern portion of Romblon (Calatrava, San Andres, San Agustin, Romblon, Corcuera, Banton, Concepcion, Cajidiocan, San Fernando, Magdiwang), Quezon including Pollilo Islands
• the eastern portion of Batangas (Lobo, Taysan, Rosario, Padre Garcia, San Juan, Lipa City, Santo Tomas)
• the southeastern portion of Laguna (Alaminos, San Pablo City, Rizal, Nagcarlan, Majayjay, Luisiana, Cavinti, Paete, Kalayaan, Santa Maria, Mabitac, Pakil, Famy, Siniloan, Pangil, Lumban, Liliw)

Visayas

• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Biliran
• the northern portion of Leyte (San Isidro, Calubian, Tabango, Leyte, Capoocan, Carigara, Barugo, San Miguel, Babatngon, Tacloban City, Alangalang, Santa Fe, Palo, Tanauan, Dagami, Pastrana, Jaro, Kananga, Villaba, Tunga, Tabontabon, Tolosa)

The areas under Signal No. 1 are the following:

Luzon

• the rest of Romblon
• the rest of Laguna
• Rizal
• Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands
• Oriental Mindoro
• Calamian Islands
• Cuyo Islands
• the rest of Batangas
• Cavite
• Metro Manila
• Bataan
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Tarlac
• Nueva Ecija
• Aurora
• Zambales
• Pangasinan
• La Union
• Benguet
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino
• the central and southern portions of Isabela (San Agustin, Jones, City of Santiago, Cordon, Echague, Dinapigue, San Mariano, San Guillermo, Angadanan, City of Cauayan, Benito Soliven, Ramon, San Isidro, Alicia, San Mateo, Cabatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Naguilian, Palanan, Aurora, Burgos, San Manuel, Gamu, Ilagan City, Divilacan), Ifugao
• the southern portion of Ilocos Sur (Sugpon, Cervantes, Alilem, Suyo, Tagudin, Santa Cruz, Sigay), and the southwestern portion of Mountain Province (Bauko, Sabangan, Tadian)

Visayas 

• Southern Leyte
• Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands
• Bohol
• Negros Occidental
• Negros Oriental
• Guimaras
• Aklan
• Antique
• Capiz
• Iloilo
• Siquijor
• the rest of Leyte

Mindanao 

• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands
• the northern portion of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza, Cortes, City of Tandag, Bayabas, Cagwait, San Miguel, Tago, Marihatag)
• Agusan del Norte
• the northeastern portion of Agusan del Sur (Sibagat)
• Camiguin
• the eastern portion of Misamis Oriental (Gingoog City, Magsaysay, Medina, Talisayan, Balingoan, Kinoguitan)

At 1 p.m., Paeng was sighted 155 kilometers east northeast of Borongan City, Eastern Samar or 245 km east southeast of Catarman, Northern Samar, carrying maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 90 km/h, PAGASA said in its 2 p.m. bulletin.

It was moving westward at 30 km/h.

“Due to the westward movement of this tropical cyclone, a landfall scenario or close approach to Eastern Samar or Northern Samar this afternoon or tonight is not ruled out. Afterwards, Paeng will move generally west northwestward and may traverse the Bicol Region tonight through tomorrow morning,” PAGASA said.

“Between tomorrow afternoon and evening, the center of Paeng may make another landfall over the east coast of Quezon (including Polillo Islands) or Aurora,” it added.

PAGASA said it expects Paeng to further intensify while moving over the warm waters of the Philippine Sea and may reach a severe tropical storm category within 24 hours. — VBL, GMA News