Signal No. 2 up over 14 areas as Ursula moves closer to Eastern Visayas

Severe Tropical Storm Ursula moved closer to Eastern Visayas on Christmas Eve, prompting PAGASA to place 14 areas under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 on Tuesday morning.

Signal No. 2 was raised over the following areas:

1. Romblon
2. Albay
3. Sorsogon
4. Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands
5. Northern Samar
6. Eastern Samar
7. Samar
8. Leyte
9. Biliran
10. extreme northern Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands (Bantayan, Madridejos, Santa Fe, Daanbantayan, Medellin, San Remigio, Bogo City, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Borbon, San Francisco, Poro, Tudela, Pilar)
11. northeastern Iloilo (Carles, Balasan, Estancia, Batad, San Dionisio, Sara, Concepcion, Lemery, Ajuy)
12. northern Antique (Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, Culasi, Tibiao)
13. Capiz
14. Aklan

Landfall

According to PAGASA, Ursula is seen to make landfall over Eastern Samar this Christmas Eve, afternoon or evening, as a severe tropical storm or typhoon.

Eastern Visayas may be placed under TCWS No. 3 when Ursula intensifies.

Between Tuesday and Wednesday noon, occasional to frequent heavy rains may be experienced over Dinagat Islands, Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, Eastern Visayas, Sorsogon, Masbate, northern and central Cebu, northern Negros Provinces, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras and Romblon.

Light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains will be felt over the rest of Bicol Region, Quezon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, and the rest of Visayas and Surigao del Norte.

On Wednesday noon to evening, occasional to frequent heavy rains may be experienced over Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Romblon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Batangas, and Calamian Islands.

Meanwhile in Cuyo Islands, Negros Provinces, Iloilo, Guimaras, Aurora, and the rest of CALABARZON, light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains are expected.

On Tuesday, Northeastern Mindanao and Eastern Visayas may experience moderate to strong winds. Bicol Region and portions of Central Visayas may also experience the same in the afternoon or evening.

Damaging gale to storm-force winds will affect areas under TCWS No. 2 in Eastern Visayas in the afternoon.

Meanwhile in Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Romblon, Aklan, Capiz and portions of Antique, Iloilo, and northern Cebu may experience the same in the evening.

This may bring light to moderate damage to high-risk structures and at most light damage to medium-risk structures.

Rough sea conditions will prevail over the eastern seaboards of the country.

In the afternoon or evening, these conditions are expected over the inland waters of Southern Luzon and Visayas.

On Wednesday, moderate to strong winds are expected to be experienced over Metro Manila, Bulacan, and Bataan in the morning or afternoon.

Medium to high-risk structures may experience light damage, PAGASA warned.

CALABARZON, and portions of MIMAROPA and Western Visayas may experience damaging gale to storm-force winds in the morning, while Metro Manila, Bulacan, and Bataan in the morning or afternoon.

Rough sea conditions are expected over the western seaboards of Southern Luzon. Sea travel is risky over these areas in the afternoon.

Maritime activities may be suspended in areas under TCWS.

At 7 a.m. Tuesday, Ursula was located at 250 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar with maximum sustained winds of 100 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 125 kph.

Ursula was moving west at 30 kph as of that time.

Several flights were canceled on Tuesday due to Ursula. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA News