Opong now a typhoon; Signal No. 4 hoisted in Sorsogon, east Masbate

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4 has been raised over parts of Luzon and Visayas as Severe Tropical Storm Opong intensified into a typhoon on Thursday evening, the state weather bureau PAGASA said. 

According to the 11 p.m. cyclone bulletin, Signal No. 4 is hoisted over the following areas: 

Luzon 

• Sorsogon 
• the eastern portion of Masbate (Cataingan, Palanas, Dimasalang, Uson, Mobo, City of Masbate, Baleno, Aroroy, Mandaon, Milagros) including Ticao Island

Visayas 

• Northern Samar
• the northern and central portions of Eastern Samar (Jipapad, Maslog, Arteche, Oras, San Policarpo, Dolores, Can-Avid, Taft, Sulat, San Julian, City of Borongan)
• the northern and central portions of Samar (Hinabangan, Paranas, Motiong, San Sebastian, Jiabong, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, Matuguinao, Calbayog City, Gandara, Santa Margarita, Pagsanghan, Tarangnan, City of Catbalogan, Santo Niño, Almagro, Tagapul-An)

Signal No. 3 is raised over the following areas:

Luzon 

• The rest of Masbate including Burias Island
• Albay
• the western portion of Camarines Sur (Buhi, Iriga City, Bato, Nabua, Balatan, Baao, Bula, Minalabac, San Fernando, Pamplona, Pasacao, Libmanan)
• the southern portion of Quezon (San Francisco, San Andres, San Narciso, Mulanay, Buenavista, Catanauan, General Luna, Guinayangan, Lopez, Macalelon)
• Marinduque
• Romblon 
• the central and southern portions of Oriental Mindoro (Bulalacao, Bongabong, Bansud, Mansalay, Roxas, Gloria, Pinamalayan, Pola, Socorro, Victoria)

• the rest of Eastern Samar
• the rest of Samar
• the extreme northern portion of Leyte (Babatngon, San Miguel, Tacloban City, Barugo, Calubian, San Isidro, Leyte, Capoocan, Carigara)
•  Biliran

Signal No. 2 was hoisted in the areas below: 

Luzon 

• Catanduanes
• the rest of Camarines Sur
• Camarines Norte
• the central and eastern portions of Quezon (Pitogo, Lucena City, Calauag, Pagbilao, Infanta, Tiaong, Unisan, Plaridel, Quezon, San Antonio, Alabat, Candelaria, Lucban, Sampaloc, Padre Burgos, Sariaya, City of Tayabas, Mauban, Dolores, Perez, Agdangan, Gumaca, Atimonan, Real, Tagkawayan)
• Laguna
• Rizal
• Cavite
• Batangas
• the rest of Oriental Mindoro
• Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands
• Calamian Islands 
• Metro Manila
• the southern portion of Bataan (Mariveles, Pilar, Limay, Orion, City of Balanga, Bagac)

Visayas 

• the eastern portion of Southern Leyte (Libagon, Anahawan, Hinunangan, San Juan, Silago, Saint Bernard, Hinundayan, Liloan, Pintuyan, San Francisco, San Ricardo, Sogod)
• the northern and central portions of Leyte (Tunga, Pastrana, Mahaplag, Matag-Ob, Tolosa, Palo, Mayorga, Julita, Dagami, Inopacan, Jaro, Abuyog, Santa Fe, Albuera, Villaba, La Paz, Palompon, Macarthur, Tabontabon, Tanauan, Merida, Ormoc City, Isabel, Javier, Dulag, Alangalang, Hindang, City of Baybay, Burauen, Tabango, Kananga)
•  the northern portion of Cebu (Medellin, Daanbantayan, Tabogon, City of Bogo, San Remigio, Borbon, Sogod, Tabuelan, Tuburan, Catmon, Carmen) including Camotes and Bantayan Islands
• the extreme northern portion of Negros Occidental (Toboso, City of Escalante, Sagay City, Cadiz City, Manapla, City of Victorias, Enrique B. Magalona)
•  the northern portion of Iloilo (Estancia, Carles, Balasan, Batad, San Dionisio, Concepcion, Sara, Ajuy, Lemery, Barotac Viejo, San Rafael, San Enrique, City of Passi, Bingawan, Calinog)
• Capiz
• Aklan
•  the northwestern portion of Antique (Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, Culasi) including Caluya Islands

• Dinagat Islands 
• Siargao Islands 
• Bucas Grande Islands 

The following areas are under Signal No.1:

Luzon 

• the central and southern portions of Isabela (Alicia, San Mateo, Aurora, Ramon, Naguilian, Dinapigue, San Guillermo, Luna, City of Cauayan, Echague, Angadanan, Benito Soliven, City of Santiago, Reina Mercedes, San Agustin, San Manuel, Cabatuan, Gamu, San Isidro, Cordon, Jones, Burgos, San Mariano, Palanan)
•  Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Ifugao
• the southwestern portion of Mountain Province (Bauko, Sabangan, Tadian), Benguet, the southern portion of Ilocos Sur (Sugpon, Alilem)
• La Union
• Pangasinan
• Aurora
• Nueva Ecija
• Tarlac
• Zambales
• the rest of Bataan
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• the rest of Quezon
• Cuyo Islands
•  the northern portion of mainland Palawan (El Nido, Taytay, Dumaran, Araceli)

Visayas 

• the rest of Southern Leyte
• the eastern and central portions of Bohol (Getafe, Talibon, Bien Unido, Ubay, Trinidad, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Mabini, San Miguel, Alicia, Candijay, Anda, Guindulman, Pilar, Dagohoy, Danao, Buenavista, Inabanga, Clarin, Sagbayan, Carmen, Sierra Bullones, Duero, Jagna)
• the central portion of Cebu (Asturias, Danao City, Compostela, Liloan, Consolacion, Cebu City, Balamban, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Toledo City, City of Talisay, Pinamungahan, Minglanilla, City of Naga, San Fernando, Aloguinsan, City of Carcar, Barili)
• the northern portion of Negros Oriental (Vallehermoso, Canlaon City, City of Guihulngan)
• the northern and central portions of Negros Occidental (Calatrava, Salvador Benedicto, San Carlos City, Silay City, City of Talisay, Bacolod City, Bago City, Murcia, La Castellana, Valladolid, Pulupandan, La Carlota City, San Enrique, Pontevedra, Moises Padilla, Isabela, Hinigaran)
•  the central portion of Iloilo (Banate, Anilao, Dueñas, Dingle, Barotac Nuevo, Dumangas, Lambunao, Janiuay, Badiangan, Pototan, Mina, Zarraga, New Lucena, Cabatuan, Maasin)
•  the central portion of Antique (Tibiao, Barbaza, Bugasong, Laua-An, Valderrama)

Mindanao

• the rest of Surigao del Norte 

The center of Opong was monitored over the coastal waters of Dolores, Eastern Samar. It has maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center, and gustiness of up to 165 kilometers per hour. 

It is moving west northwestward at 25 kilometers per hour.

PAGASA said that Opong is forecast to make landfall over Northern Samar or the northern portion of Eastern Samar between midnight and early morning of Friday, September 26 before heading towards Bicol Region. It also expected to make another landfall in the Bicol Region, particularly in the vicinity of Sorsogon or Masbate on Friday morning. 

Moreover, the weather forecast suggested that Opong may bring more than 200 millimeters of rainfall over Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Sorsogon, Masbate, Oriental Mindoro, and Romblon from Thursday evening until Friday evening.

PAGASA also warned of life-threatening storm surge with peak heights exceeding 3.0 m within 36 hours over the low-lying or exposed coastal localities of Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, Bicol Region, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Cebu, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Dinagat Islands, and Siargao Island. —LDF, GMA Integrated News