Ramil slightly intensifies, 8 areas under Signal No.2

More areas are placed under Signal No. 2 as Tropical Storm Ramil slightly intensified while it approached the waters off Northern Samar, according to PAGASA. 

In its 11 am advisory, PAGASA raised the following Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals. 

Signal No. 2

• The northern portion of Aurora (Casiguran, Dilasag, Dinalungan)
• Polillo Islands
• Camarines Norte
• Catanduanes
• The northern portion of Camarines Sur (Tinambac, Siruma, Goa, San Jose, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Caramoan, Presentacion)
• The extreme eastern portion of Albay (Rapu-Rapu)
• The northeastern portion of Sorsogon (Prieto Diaz)
• The northeastern portion of Northern Samar (Laoang, Palapag, Mapanas, Pambujan, San Roque, Mondragon, Gamay)

Signal No. 1

• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Apayao
• Abra
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Benguet 
• Ilocos Norte 
• Ilocos Sur 
• La Union
• Pangasinan
• The rest of Aurora
• Nueva Ecija
• The eastern portion of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, Norzagaray, San Miguel, San Ildefonso, San Rafael, Angat)
• The eastern portion of Tarlac (Camiling, San Clemente, Santa Ignacia, Paniqui, Moncada, San Manuel, Anao, Ramos, Pura, Victoria, City of Tarlac, La Paz, Concepcion, Gerona)
• The eastern portion of Pampanga (Magalang, Arayat, Candaba)
• The northern and eastern portions of Quezon (Tagkawayan, Perez, Alabat, Quezon, Atimonan, Padre Burgos, Unisan, Gumaca, Plaridel, Agdangan, Pagbilao, Mauban, Calauag, Guinayangan, Lopez, Pitogo, Macalelon, General Luna, Catanauan, San Narciso, Buenavista, San Francisco, San Andres, Mulanay, General Nakar, Infanta, Real, Sampaloc),
• The rest of Camarines Sur
• The rest of Albay
• The rest of Sorsogon
• Burias Island
• Ticao Island
• Northern Samar
• The northern portion of Eastern Samar (San Policarpo, Arteche, Oras, Dolores, Maslog, Jipapad, Taft, Can-Avid)
• The northern portion of Samar (Matuguinao, San Jose de Buan, Calbayog City, Gandara, Santa Margarita, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, Tagapul-An, Almagro, Santo Niño, Tarangnan, Paranas, City of Catbalogan, Jiabong, Motiong)

Ramil was last spotted over the coastal waters of Palapag, Northern Sama packing maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 90 km/h, and a central pressure of 998 hPa.

"Although the most likely highest wind signal that will be hoisted is Wind Signal 2, the worst case scenario remains Wind Signal No. 3 due to the possibility of reaching severe tropical storm category before landfall," PAGASA said. 

PAGASA also said that Ramil and the easterlies will also bring strong to gale-force gusts over the following areas:

Cagayan Valley, CALABARZON, Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Masbate, Caluya Islands, Samar, Eastern Samar, and Biliran.

Ramil may make landfall or pass close to Northern Samar this afternoon, then over Catanduanes this afternoon or evening. The possibility of landfall over Albay or Sorsogon is also increasing, according to PAGASA. 

"After making landfall in Aurora, RAMIL will traverse the mountainous terrain of Northern Luzon and emerge over the coastal waters of Pangasinan or La Union tomorrow evening. It will exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Monday (20 October) morning," said PAGASA.

Classes, evacuations

Classes were suspended in some areas on Saturday due to the expected effects of Ramil.

Residents of Catanduanes living along the coast evacuated on Saturday.

Sea travel was also suspended in some areas as PAGASA raised a gale warning. —VAL/KG, GMA Integrated News