Signal No. 1 up over 29 areas as Verbena passes Negros Oriental

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 is in effect over 29 areas in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao as Tropical Depression Verbena crossed Negros Oriental Tuesday morning, state weather bureau PAGASA said Tuesday.

In its 8 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the following areas under TCWS No. 1 may experience strong winds with minimal to minor threat to life and property:

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
• 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
• Southern Leyte 

Mindanao

• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte
• the northern portion of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza, Cortes, San Miguel, City of Tandag, Tago)
• Agusan del Norte
• the northeastern portion of Agusan del Sur (Sibagat)
• Camiguin
• Misamis Oriental
• 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)

Verbena was last spotted in the vicinity of Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph )near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.

The tropical depression was moving west northwestward at 20 kph.

“On the track forecast, VERBENA will continue moving west northwestward across Visayas and the northern portion of Palawan today before emerging over the West Philippine Sea by tomorrow (26 November) morning,” PAGASA said.

Verbena may exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Thursday morning.

According to PAGASA, Verbena may reach the severe tropical storm category.

“VERBENA will likely continue crossing Visayas as a tropical depression. It may reach tropical storm category either before reaching northern Palawan or once over the West Philippine Sea,” PAGASA said.

“VERBENA may peak at severe tropical storm category while in the middle of the West Philippine Sea north of Kalayaan Islands,” it added.

PAGASA said Verbena made four landfalls.

Classes for Tuesday, November 25, were suspended in some areas due to inclement weather from Tropical Depression Verbena.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development on Monday gave the assurance that sufficient relief assistance have been readied in anticipation of the impact of Tropical Depression Verbena on various parts of the country.

DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the Disaster Response Management Group (DMRG) said over one million family food packs (FFPs) have been prepositioned ahead of the weather disturbance, which dumped rains and caused floods in Mindanao even before its landfall.

Some houses were swept by raging floods in several areas in Mindanao due to heavy rains and bad weather caused by Tropical Depression Verbena, hours before it made landfall in Surigao del Sur.—AOL, GMA Integrated News