11 areas under Signal No. 2 as Dante moves toward Batangas-Quezon area

Eleven areas remained under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 on Wednesday morning due to Tropical Storm Dante, which has brought heavy rains that triggered flooding and damaged some infrastructures and crops in some areas.

In its 8 a.m. bulletin, state weather forecasters PAGASA said Dante is about to make landfall in the vicinity of Romblon. It would be its third landfall, after Masbate and Eastern Samar.

Based on PAGASA's bulletin, the following areas are placed under Signal No. 2:

• the southern portion of Quezon (San Francisco, Mulanay, Catanauan, General Luna, Macalelon, Pitogo, Unisan, Agdangan, Padre Burgos, Pagbilao, Sariaya, City of Tayabas, Lucena City, Dolores, Lucban, Candelaria, Tiaong, San Antonio, San Andres, San Narciso)
• Batangas
• the southern portion of Laguna (Majayjay, Liliw, Nagcarlan, Rizal, San Pablo City, Calauan, Bay, Los Baños, Alaminos)
• Marinduque
• Oriental Mindoro
• the extreme northern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Abra de Ilog)
• Romblon
• the western portion of Masbate (Aroroy, Milagros, Mandaon, Balud) including Burias Island
• The northern portion of Capiz (Sapi-An, Ivisan, Roxas City, Panay, Pontevedra, President Roxas, Pilar)
• The northern portion of Aklan (Malay, Nabas, Ibajay, Tangalan, Makato, Lezo, Numancia, Kalibo, New Washington, Batan)
• the extreme northeastern portion of Iloilo (Balasan, Estancia, Carles)

Meanwhile, Signal No. 1 was over the following areas:

• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• Pangasinan
• the western portion of Kalinga (Pasil, Tanudan, Lubuagan, Balbalan, Tinglayan)
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• The extreme southern portion of Isabela (Ramon, Cordon)
• Nueva Vizcaya
• the western portion of Quirino (Nagtipunan, Cabarroguis, Diffun, Aglipay, Saguday)
• the central and southern portion of Aurora (Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler, San Luis, Dingalan), Zambales
• Bataan
• Tarlac
• Nueva Ecija
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• the rest of Quezon
• the rest of Laguna
• Cavite
• Occidental Mindoro
• Calamian Islands
• Cuyo Islands
• the western portion of Camarines Norte (Labo, Capalonga, Santa Elena),
• the western portion of Camarines Sur (Del Gallego, Lupi, Ragay, Sipocot, Libmanan, Pasacao, Pamplona, San Fernando, Minalabac, Bula, Nabua, Balatan, Bato, Cabusao, Milaor, Canaman, Gainza, Camaligan, Magarao)
• the western portion of Albay (Polangui, Libon, Oas, City of Ligao, Pio Duran, Guinobatan, Jovellar)
• the rest of Masbate including Ticao Island
• the western portion of Sorsogon (Donsol, Pilar, Castilla, Magallanes, Bulan, Matnog)
• Antique
• the rest of Aklan
• the rest of Capiz
• the rest of Iloilo
• Guimaras
• the northern portion of Negros Occidental (La Castellana, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Moises Padilla, Pulupandan, Valladolid, San Enrique, La Carlota City, San Carlos City, Bago City, Bacolod City, Murcia, Salvador, Benedicto, Calatrava, City of Talisay, Silay City, Enrique B. Magalona, City of Victorias, Manapla, Cadiz City, Sagay City, City of Escalante, Toboso)
• the extreme northern portion of Negros Oriental (Canlaon City, Vallehermoso)
• the northwestern portion of Cebu (Pinamungahan, Toledo City, Balamban, Asturias, Tuburan, Tabuelan, Medellin, San Remigio, Daanbantayan) including Bantayan Islands

At 7 a.m., Dante was located over the southern coastal waters of Romblon, Romblon with maximum sustained winds of 65 km per hour and gustiness of up to 90 km/h, moving west at 25 km/h.

PAGASA said Dante will move more northwestward and may traverse near or in the vicinity of Oriental Mindoro or Marinduque before making another landfall over Batangas-southern Quezon area.

“Due to increased vertical wind shear and land interaction, this tropical storm is forecast to maintain its strength until it makes landfall over mainland Luzon. Further land interaction with the rugged terrain of mainland Luzon will weaken Dante into a tropical depression tonight,” PAGASA said.

Dante may emerge over the West Philippine Sea through the Lingayen Gulf early morning on Thursday, PAGASA added. --KBK, GMA News