PAGASA: 30 areas under Signal No. 1 as Verbena slightly intensifies

Thirty areas across the country are under Tropical Cyclone Signal No. 1 as Tropical Depression Verbena slightly intensified as it moved towards Bicol, the state weather bureau said on Monday night.

In its 11 p.m. tropical cyclone bulletin, PAGASA said Signal No. 1 is hoisted over the following areas:

Luzon:

• Occidental Mindoro,
• Oriental Mindoro,
• Romblon,
• The northern and central portions of Palawan (Araceli, Taytay, El Nido, Dumaran, Roxas, San Vicente, Puerto Princesa City) including Calamian, Cuyo, and Cagayancillo Islands, and
• Mainland Masbate (Balud, Mandaon, Milagros, Cawayan, Placer, Pio V. Corpuz, Esperanza, Uson, Dimasalang, City of Masbate, Mobo, Palanas, Aroroy, Cataingan, Baleno).

Visayas:

• Antique,
• Aklan,
• Capiz,
• Iloilo,
• Guimaras,
• Negros Occidental,
• Negros Oriental,
• Siquijor,
• Cebu,
• Bohol,
• Samar,
• Eastern Samar,
• Biliran,
• Leyte, and
• Southern Leyte.

Mindanao:

• Dinagat Islands,
• Surigao del Norte,
• Surigao del Sur,
• Agusan del Norte,
• Agusan del Sur,
• Camiguin,
• Misamis Oriental,
• The northern portion of Bukidnon (Baungon, Libona, Manolo Fortich, Sumilao, Impasug-Ong, City of Malaybalay, Malitbog, Cabanglasan),
• The northern portion of Misamis Occidental (Sapang Dalaga, Calamba, Baliangao, Plaridel, Lopez Jaena, Oroquieta City, Aloran, Panaon, Jimenez, Concepcion), and
• The northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte (Jose Dalman, Manukan, Pres. Manuel A. Roxas, Katipunan, Dipolog City, Polanco, Piñan, Dapitan City, La Libertad, Sibutad, Rizal, Mutia).

As of 10 p.m., Verbena’s center was estimated to be over the coastal waters of Anda, Bohol and is packing maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 75 km/h, and central pressure of 998 hPa.

The tropical depression is moving west northwestward at 15 km/h.

PAGASA said Verbena will move west northwestward across Visayas and the northern portion of Palawan between Monday night and the evening of Tuesday, November 25, before emerging over the West Philippine Sea in the morning of Wednesday, November 26.

It will then turn westward and pass north of Kalayaan Islands and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Thursday, November 27.

“Verbena may peak at severe tropical storm category while in the middle of the West Philippine north of Kalayaan Islands,” the state weather bureau said.

Meanwhile, a gale warning is in effect over the northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon, as PAGASA warned mariners of motorbancas and similarly-sized vehicles to take precautionary measures if venturing out to see, or avoid navigation under these conditions. — JMA, GMA Integrated News