Vicky now over Sulu Sea, 13 areas under Signal No. 1

Thirteen areas were placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 on Saturday due to Tropical Depression Vicky, PAGASA said in its 5 a.m. Severe Weather Bulletin.

TCWS No. 1 has been hoisted over the following areas:

Luzon

• the northern and central portions of Palawan (Araceli, Dumaran, Taytay, El Nido, San Vicente, Roxas, Puerto Princesa City, Aborlan, Narra, Quezon) including Calamian, Cuyo, Cagayancillo, and Kalayaan Islands

Visayas

• the southern portion of Cebu (Pinamungahan, San Fernando, Carcar, Aloguinsan, Barili, Sibonga, Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Argao, Moalboal, Badian, Dalaguete, Alegria, Alcoy, Malabuyoc, Boljoon, Ginatilan, Oslob, Samboan, Santander)
• the extreme western portion of Bohol (Loon, Tagbilaran City, Dauis, Panglao, Cortes, Maribojoc)
• Siquijor
• Negros Oriental
• the central and southern portions of Negros Occidental (San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto, Talisay City, Bacolod City, Murcia, Bago City, Pulupandan, Valladolid, San Enrique, La Carlota City, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Isabela, Binalbagan, Himamaylan City, Ilog, Kabankalan City, Cauayan, Candoni, Sipalay City, Hinoba-An)
• Guimaras
• the southern portion of Iloilo (Barotac Nuevo, Dingle, Anilao, Duenas, Lambunao, Dumangas, Pototan, Zarraga, Mina, Badiangan, Janiuay, Maasin, Cabatuan, New Lucena, Santa Barbara, Leganes, Iloilo City, Pavia, Alimodian, San Miguel, Oton, Leon, Tubungan, Igbaras, Guimbal, Tigbauan, Miagao, San Joaquin)
• the southern portion of Antique (Bugasong, Laua-An, Valderrama, San Remigio, Patnongon, Belison, Sibalom, San Jose, Hamtic, Tobias Fornier, Anini-Y)

Mindanao

• Misamis Occidental
• the northern and central portions of Zamboanga del Norte (Siocon, Baliguian, Gutalac, Kalawit, Labason, Tampilisan, Liloy, Godod, Bacungan, Salug, Sindangan, Siayan, Manukan, Jose Dalman, Sergio Osmena Sr., Pres. Manuel A. Roxas, Katipunan, Dipolog City, Pinan, Mutia, La Libertad, Polanco, Rizal, Sibutad, Dapitan City)
• Zamboanga del Sur
• Zamboanga Sibugay

Vicky, which is over the Sulu Sea as of posting time, combined with the Tail-End of the Frontal System (Shear Line) will bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over many parts of the country.

Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains are to be expected over CALABARZON, Bicol Region, Visayas, Aurora, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, and the northern and central portions of Palawan including Calamian, Cuyo, and Cagayancillo Islands.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains meanwhile will pour over mainland Cagayan Valley, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Metro Manila, and the rest of Central Luzon, MIMAROPA and Cordillera Administrative Region.

Hazards affecting land areas

The areas under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS No. 1) will have strong breeze to near gale conditions during the passage of the tropical cyclone.

However, it must be noted that gusty conditions are likely over most of Luzon and Visayas that are not under TCWS (especially in coastal and mountainous areas) due to the surge of the Northeast Monsoon.

Vicky is forecast to move generally west-northwestward over Sulu Sea and cross the northern or central portion of Palawan between Saturday afternoon or evening.

The tropical depression is likely to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Sunday afternoon or evening.

Vicky is forecast to remain a tropical depression while crossing the Philippine archipelago and intensify as it reaches West Philippine Sea.

As of 4 a.m. on Saturday, the center of Tropical Depression Vicky was estimated at 150 kilometers west of Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte with maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kph and moving westward at 25 kph.

On Sunday, heavy to intense rains over Bicol Region, Quezon, Aurora, Isabela, Quirino, and Nueva Vizcaya are to be expected.

Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains are forecast on Sunday over Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Oriental Mindoro, Kalayaan Islands, and the rest of mainland Cagayan Valley.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains meanwhile are to be expected over Eastern Visayas, Dinagat Islands, and the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region, CALABARZON, and MIMAROPA on Sunday.

Flooding, including flash floods, and rain-induced landslides may occur during heavy or prolonged periods of rainfall, especially in areas identified to be highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards and in localities that received significant antecedent rainfall over the past couple of days or weeks.

Adjacent or nearby areas may also experience flooding in the absence of such rainfall occurrence due to surface runoff or swelling of river channels.

Hazards affecting coastal waters

In the next 24 hours, the combined effects of the surge of the Northeast Monsoon and the tropical depression will bring rough to very rough seas  over the following areas:

• entire seaboards of Northern Luzon
• the seaboard of Aurora
• the eastern seaboard of Quezon including Polillo Islands
• the seaboard of Camarines Norte
• the northern seaboard of Camarines Sur
• the northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes
• the eastern seaboard of Albay including Rapu-Rapu Islands
• the eastern seaboard of Sorsogon
• the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar
• the eastern seaboard of Eastern Samar including Homonhon Island
• the eastern seaboard of Dinagat Islands
• the eastern seaboard of Surigao del Norte
• the seaboard of Surigao del Sur, and
• the eastern seaboard of Davao Oriental.

Sea travel is risky over these waters especially for small sea vessels.

Moderate to rough seas will be experienced over the coastal waters of areas under TCWS No. 1, the seaboards of Agusan del Norte, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, and Lanao del Norte, and the remaining seaboards of Luzon, Visayas, Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands.

Sea travel is risky over these waters especially for small sea vessels. —BAP/KG, GMA News