24 provinces in path of typhoon 'Paeng'; landfall Monday

The weather bureau on Sunday morning placed at least 24 provinces under storm signals, as typhoon "Paeng" continued to move northwestward toward the main island of Luzon. It is forecast to hit land on Monday morning. Weather forecasters warned residents in areas under storm signals 1 and 2 against possible flashfloods and landslides. In its 5 a.m. advisory, the Philippine Atmosheric Geophysical & Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) also advised residents along the eastern coast of Luzon to be on alert against big waves generated by "Paeng." Placed under Storm Signal 2 as of 5 am Sunday were Catanduanes, Polillo Island, Northern Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, Ifugao, Mt. Province, Kalinga, Isabela, and Southern Cagayan. Storm Signal 1 remains hoisted over Camarines Provinces, Albay, Quezon, rest of Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Provinces, Abra, Apayao, and the rest of Cagayan. As of 4 a.m Sunday, "Paeng" was located 330 kms east southeast of Casiguran, Aurora or at 420 kms southeast of Tuguegarao, Cagayan. It packed maximum sustained winds of 150 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph. It was moving west-northwest at 15 kilometers per hour. "Paeng" was expected to make landfall over the eastern coast of Isabela then cross Northern Luzon and out into the South China sea Monday morning. By Tuesday morning, the typhoon is forecast to be 140 kms southwest of Vigan, Ilocos Sur, or 160 kms northwest of Baguio City. By Wednesday morning, 'Paeng' is estimated to be 440 kms west-southwest of Vigan, Ilocos Sur or 440 kms west northwest of Baguio City. Meanwhile, Mayor Edwin Hamor of Casiguran town in Sorsogon province on Sunday voiced relief that his consituents seem to have veen spared by 'Paeng.' "Hopefully we were spared. We did not experience strong winds or rains Saturday night, when we were placed under Signal 1," Hamor said in an interview on dzBB radio Sunday. Sorsogon and most of the Bicol region provinces were recently devastated by powerful typhoon 'Milenyo.' Despite this, however, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said it will help state weather forecasters monitor areas for landslides. Phivolcs director Renato Solidum Jr. said there remains the possibility of lahar from Mayon and Bulusan Volcanoes flowing to nearby areas. Mayon and Bulusan are under Alert Level 1, though Bulusan had an ash ejection last week. "There is still the possibility of lahar threatening areas around the volcanoes. If ‘Paeng’ brings heavy rains, this may trigger landslides, and we are monitoring this," Solidum said. - GMANews.Tv