Verbena moves toward Negros; Signal No. 1 up over 29 areas

Tropical Depression Verbena maintained its strength as it moved northwestward toward Negros Island as Signal No. 1 remained over 29 areas, according to the latest Tropical Cyclone Bulletin posted by PAGASA.

The center of Tropical Depression Verbena was estimated to be located, based on all available data including those from Iloilo Doppler Weather Radar, over the coastal waters of Pinamungahan, Cebu packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 90 km/h, and central pressure of 998 hPa.

Verbena is moving northwestward at the speed of 25 km/h with strong winds extending outwards up to 200 km from the center.

At 2:40 a.m., PAGASA said Verbena made landfall over Talisay, Cebu.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 was hoisted over the following areas:

1. Occidental Mindoro;
2. Oriental Mindoro;
3. Romblon;
4. the northern and central portions of Palawan (Araceli, Taytay, El Nido, Dumaran, Roxas, San Vicente, Puerto Princesa City) including Calamian, Cuyo, and Cagayancillo Islands;
5. mainland Masbate (Balud, Mandaon, Milagros, Cawayan, Placer, Pio V. Corpuz, Esperanza, Uson, Dimasalang, City of Masbate, Mobo, Palanas, Aroroy, Cataingan, Baleno);
6. Antique;
7. Aklan;
8. Capiz;
9. Iloilo;
10. Guimaras;
11. Negros Occidental;
12. Negros Oriental;
13. Siquijor;
14. Cebu;
15. Bohol;
16. Samar;
17. Eastern Samar;
18. Biliran;
19. Leyte;
20. Southern Leyte;
21. Dinagat Islands;
22. Surigao del Norte;
23. the northern portion of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza, Cortes, San Miguel, City of Tandag, Tago);
24. Agusan del Norte;
25. the northeastern portion of Agusan del Sur (Sibagat);
26. Camiguin;
27. Misamis Oriental;
28. the northern portion of Misamis Occidental (Sapang Dalaga, Calamba, Baliangao, Plaridel, Lopez Jaena, Oroquieta City, Aloran, Panaon, Jimenez, Concepcion); and
29. the northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte (Jose Dalman, Manukan, Pres. Manuel A. Roxas, Katipunan, Dipolog City, Polanco, Piñan, Dapitan City, La Libertad, Sibutad, Rizal, Mutia).

Heavy rainfall outlook

PAGASA said a shear line will also bring heavy rainfall over the following areas: 

• Heavy to intense rains (100-200 mm) over Quezon
• Moderate to heavy rains (50-100 mm) over Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Batangas, Rizal, and Laguna

Verbena meanwhile will bring rains over:

• Heavy to intense rains (100-200 mm): Palawan, Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Cebu, Bohol, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, and Romblon
• Moderate to heavy rains (50-100 mm): Biliran, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Samar, Southern Leyte, Leyte, Marinduque, Catanduanes, Masbate, Albay, Sorsogon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, and Camiguin

"The wind signals warn the public of the general wind threat over an area due to the tropical cyclone. Local winds may be slightly stronger/enhanced in coastal and upland/mountainous areas exposed to winds. Winds are less strong in areas sheltered from the prevailing wind direction," PAGASA reported.

There will be minimal to minor impacts from strong winds are possible within any of the areas under Wind Signal No. 1.

Gusty conditions reaching strong to gale-force strength will also be felt in the following areas due to the surge of the Northeast Monsoon (Amihan) and Verbena, especially in coastal and upland areas exposed to winds: Luzon, Visayas, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, and Zamboanga del Norte.

A gale warning is in effect over the seaboards of Northern Luzon, said PAGASA.

After making landfall over Talisay City in Cebu early Tuesday morning, Verbena will continue moving west northwestward across Visayas and the northern portion of Palawan today before emerging over the West Philippine Sea by Wednesday morning.

The tropical depression will then turn westward and pass north of Kalayaan Islands and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Thursday morning.

Classes, food packs

Classes for Tuesday, November 25, were suspended in some areas due to inclement weather from Tropical Depression Verbena.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development on Monday gave the assurance that sufficient relief assistance have been readied in anticipation of the impact of Tropical Depression Verbena on various parts of the country.

DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the Disaster Response Management Group (DMRG) said over one million family food packs (FFPs) have been prepositioned ahead of the weather disturbance, which dumped rains and caused floods in Mindanao even before its landfall.

Some houses were swept by raging floods in several areas in Mindanao due to heavy rains and bad weather caused by Tropical Depression Verbena, hours before it made landfall in Surigao del Sur. — BAP/KG, GMA Integrated News