Ramil traverses Bicol; 10 areas under Signal No. 2

Tropical Storm Ramil continues to traverse the Bicol Region after making landfall in Sorsogon, the state weather bureau PAGASA said in its 8 p.m. Saturday bulletin.

At 7 p.m., Ramil was located in the vicinity of Malinao, Albay, carrying maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h and gustiness of up to 110 km/h. 

Under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 are the following areas:

• the southeastern portion of Isabela (Dinapigue)
• the southern portion of Quirino (Nagtipunan, Maddela)
• the southern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castañeda)
• northern and central portions of Aurora (Casiguran, Dilasag, Dinalungan, Baler, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, San Luis)
• Polillo Islands
• Camarines Norte
• Catanduanes
• the northern and eastern portions of Camarines Sur (Tinambac, Siruma, Goa, San Jose, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Caramoan, Presentacion, Sagñay, Tigaon)
• the eastern portion of Albay (Rapu-Rapu, Bacacay, City of Tabaco, Malilipot, Santo Domingo, Manito, Tiwi, Malinao) 
• the northeastern portion of Sorsogon (Prieto Diaz, City of Sorsogon)

Signal No. 1 was raised over the following areas:

LUZON

• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• the rest of Isabela
• the rest of Quirino
• the rest of 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

VISAYAS

• Northern Samar
• the northern portion of Eastern Samar (Jipapad, San Policarpo, Oras, Arteche, Maslog)
• the northern portion of Samar (Matuguinao, Calbayog City, Gandara, Santa Margarita, Pagsanghan, Tagapul-An, Almagro, Santo Niño, San Jose de Buan)

Ramil, which made landfall in Gubat, Sorsogon on Saturday afternoon, will continue moving west northwestward over the landmass or coastal waters of Bicol Region until early Sunday morning, PAGASA said.

"Afterwards, it will pass close or over Polillo Islands tomorrow morning, then make a final landfall in the vicinity of Aurora tomorrow  morning or afternoon. The possibility of landfall over northern Quezon or southern Isabela instead of Aurora is also not ruled out based on the forecast confidence cone," it added.

The tropical cyclone will then cross the mountainous terrain of Northern Luzon and emerge over the coastal waters of Pangasinan or La Union on Sunday evening. Ramil is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Monday morning. 

"Due to its proximity to the sea and the absence of large mountain ranges in Bicol Region, a re-intensification scenario before the final landfall in Aurora within the next 24 hours is likely. During its passage over Northern Luzon, Ramil may maintain its strength or slightly weaken due to frictional effects of the mountainous landmass. Once over the West Philippine Sea, further re-intensification is highly likely," PAGASA said. —VBL, GMA Integrated News