14 areas under Signal No. 1 as Paeng re-intensifies into severe tropical storm

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 was still raised over 14 areas in Luzon as Tropical Storm Paeng re-intensified into a Severe Tropical Storm, state weather bureau PAGASA said late Monday morning.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the following areas are under TCWS No. 1:

• the southern portion of Ilocos Norte (Badoc, Pinili, Banna, Nueva Era, City of Batac, Paoay, Marcos, Currimao, Dingras, Solsona, Sarrat, San Nicolas, Laoag City, Piddig)
• Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• Pangasinan
• the western and central portions of Pampanga (Mexico, Porac, Angeles City, Santa Rita, Santa Ana, Guagua, Sasmuan, Mabalacat City, Arayat, Santo Tomas, Minalin, City of San Fernando, Bacolor, Floridablanca, Magalang, Lubao)
• Abra
• Benguet
• the western portion of Mountain Province (Besao, Tadian, Bauko, Sabangan, Sagada)
• the western portion of Ifugao (Tinoc, Hungduan)
• Tarlac
• the western portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Santa Fe, Kayapa)
• the western portion of Nueva Ecija (Cuyapo, Talugtug, Nampicuan, Guimba, Licab, Quezon, Zaragoza, San Antonio, Cabiao)
• Zambales
• the central and southern portions of Bataan (Orani, Abucay, Hermosa, Samal, Morong, Dinalupihan, Bagac, City of Balanga, Pilar)

According to PAGASA, Paeng was last spotted 375 kilometers west of Dagupan City, Pangasinan, packing maximum sustained winds of 95 km per hour and gustiness of up to 115 km/h, and moving northwestward at 10 km/h.

The tropical cyclone re-intensified into a severe tropical storm at 8 a.m. on Monday and may further intensify within 12 to 24 hours, according to PAGASA.

It is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Monday afternoon or evening.

Through Monday afternoon, moderate to heavy rains are expected over Batanes, Zambales, and Bataan.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains, meanwhile, may be experienced over Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, the southern portion of Quezon, Western Visayas, Babuyan Islands, MIMAROPA, and the rest of Central Luzon.

“Except in areas with significant antecedent rainfall or those still experiencing persistent heavy rainfall, flooding and rain-induced landslides are likely to slowly subside,” PAGASA said.

Strong winds from strong breeze to near gale strength may still be experienced over areas under TCWS No.1, the bureau said.

Due to the Northeast Monsoon or Amihan and Paeng, a marine gale warning is still in effect over most seaboards of Luzon.

Moderate to rough seas up to 3.0 meters are possible over the western seaboard of Visayas.

“These conditions may be risky for those using small seacraft. Mariners are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea and, if possible, avoid navigating in these conditions,” PAGASA said.

Effects

As of its latest report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said 98 people, most of them in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, were reported killed due to Paeng.

This was on top of the 69 people reported injured and 63 missing due to the cyclone.

Damage to agriculture worth P435,464,774.16, meanwhile, was reported in Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Soccsksargen.

On the other hand, damage to infrastructure worth P757,841,175 was reported in Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Davao.

Queenie

As this developed, the other cyclone PAGASA is monitoring, Tropical Depression Queenie, intensified into a tropical storm on Monday morning.

“Queenie intensified into a tropical storm at 8:00 a.m. today. It may further intensify in the next 12 hours,” PAGASA said in its 11 a.m. bulletin.

However, PAGASA said Queenie is unlikely to directly affect the country until Tuesday.

Queenie was last spotted 815 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 km per hour, gustiness of up to 80 km/h, and central pressure of 1000 hPa. —KBK, GMA News