21 areas under Signal No. 1 as ‘Crising’ keeps strength

Signal No. 1 has been hoisted over 21 areas in Luzon as Tropical Depression Crising maintained its strength, state weather bureau PAGASA said on Thursday evening. 

Here are the areas under Signal No. 1 as of 11 p.m.:

1. Batanes
2. Cagayan including the Babuyan Islands
3. Isabela
4. Apayao
5. Abra
6. Ilocos Norte
7. Ilocos Sur
8. Kalinga
9. Mountain Province
10. Ifugao
11. Benguet
12. La Union
13. Quirino
14. The northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Baler, Maria Aurora)
15. Nueva Vizcaya
16. The northern portion of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Natividad, San Quintin, San Manuel, Tayug, Sison, San Fabian, Pozorrubio, Laoac, Binalonan, San Jacinto, Manaoag, Mangaldan, Dagupan City, Binmaley, Lingayen, Labrador, Sual, City of Alaminos, Bolinao, Anda, Bani, Agno, Burgos, Mabini, Dasol, Calasiao, Santa Barbara, Mapandan, Bugallon)
17. The northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Pantabangan)
18. Polillo Islands
19. Camarines Norte
20. The northeastern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Garchitorena, Lagonoy, San Jose, Presentacion, Tinambac, Siruma, Goa)
21. Catanduanes

The center of Crising was located 460 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora. It has maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center and a gustiness of up to 70 kph. 

The storm is moving northwestward at 15 kph and will continue to move in the same direction over the next 24 hours, said PAGASA. 

The state weather bureau said that Crising may make landfall over mainland Cagayan or the Babuyan Islands on Friday afternoon or evening, July 18. 

Crising is forecast to reach a tropical storm category on Friday morning and will continue to intensify until it reaches a severe tropical storm category on Saturday morning or afternoon, PAGASA added. 

“Once Crising intensifies into a tropical storm, there is a likelihood that the hoisted wind signals will be upgraded to Wind Signal No. 2 over Cagayan, including Babuyan Islands, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, and the northern portions of Ilocos Sur, Abra, Kalinga, and Isabela. And, if forecast track shifts further north, including the southern portion of Batanes,” PAGASA said.

But the tropical depression is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Saturday afternoon or evening. –NB, GMA Integrated News