15 areas under Signal No. 2 as Basyang nears Caraga

Fifteen areas in the Visayas and Mindanao are under Signal No. 2 as Tropical Storm Basyang maintains its strength while on its way to Caraga, according to the weather bureau PAGASA on Thursday night.

In its 8 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the following areas are under Signal No. 2:

Visayas

• Siquijor
• The southern portion of Negros Oriental (Dumaguete City, San Jose, Valencia, Bacong, Amlan, Dauin, Sibulan, Zamboanguita, Siaton, City of Tanjay, Pamplona, Santa Catalina, Bais City, Manjuyod, Bindoy, City of Bayawan, Basay, Mabinay, Ayungon, Tayasan, Jimalalud, La Libertad)
• The southern portion of Negros Occidental (Candoni, City of Sipalay, Ilog, City of Kabankalan, Cauayan, Hinoba-An, City of Himamaylan, Binalbagan)
• The southern portion of Cebu (Samboan, Malabuyoc, Oslob, Ginatilan, Alegria, Dalaguete, Boljoon, Alcoy, Santander, Argao, Badian, Moalboal, Ronda, Alcantara, Sibonga, Dumanjug)
• The southern portion of Bohol (Bilar, Guindulman, Antequera, Sevilla, Loboc, Tagbilaran City, Maribojoc, Pilar, Jagna, Lila, Corella, Loon, Dimiao, Candijay, Alburquerque, Anda, Dauis, Sikatuna, Baclayon, Batuan, Loay, Valencia, Garcia Hernandez, Carmen, Panglao, Duero, Cortes, Balilihan, Sierra Bullones, Catigbian, San Isidro, Calape, Mabini, Alicia, Tubigon, Sagbayan, Clarin)

Mindanao

• Surigao del Norte including Siargao - Bucas Grande Islands
• Surigao del Sur
• The extreme northern portion of Davao Oriental (Boston)
• Agusan del Norte
• Agusan del Sur
• Misamis Oriental
• The northern portion of Bukidnon (Impasug-Ong, Manolo Fortich, Malitbog, Sumilao, Libona, Baungon, City of Malaybalay, Cabanglasan)
• The northeastern portion of Lanao del Norte (Iligan City)
• The northeastern portion of Misamis Occidental (Baliangao, Plaridel, Lopez Jaena, Oroquieta City, Calamba, Aloran, Panaon)
• Camiguin

Signal No. 1 was hoisted over the following areas:

Luzon

• The southern portion of Occidental Mindoro (San Jose, Magsaysay, Rizal, Calintaan, Sablayan
• The southern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Mansalay, Bulalacao, Gloria, Pinamalayan, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas)
• Romblon
• The northern portion of Palawan (Taytay, El Nido, Dumaran, Araceli) including CalamianCuyo, and Cagayancilo Islands
• The southern portion of Masbate (Mandaon, Milagros, Balud, Placer, Cawayan, Esperanza)

Visayas

• The southern portion of Eastern Samar (Guiuan, Salcedo, Mercedes, Giporlos, Balangiga, Lawaan, Quinapondan, General Macarthur, Hernani, Llorente, Balangkayan, City of Borongan, Maydolong)
• The southern portion of Samar (Marabut, Basey, Santa Rita, Daram, Talalora, Zumarraga, Villareal, Pinabacdao, Calbiga)
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• The rest of Bohol
• The rest of Cebu
• The rest of Negros Oriental
• The rest of Negros Occidental
• Guimaras
• Iloilo
• Capiz
• Aklan
• Antique

Mindanao

• Dinagat Islands
• The northern and central portions of Davao Oriental (Cateel, Baganga, Caraga, Manay, Tarragona, Lupon, Banaybanay)
• Davao de Oro
• Davao del Norte
• The northern portion of Davao del Sur (Davao City, Santa Cruz, Bansalan, City of Digos)
• The rest of Bukidnon
• The northern portion of Cotabato (Carmen, Banisilan, Alamada, President Roxas, Antipas, Arakan, Magpet, Matalam, Kabacan, Pigkawayan, Libungan, Midsayap, Aleosan, Pikit, Makilala, City of Kidapawan, M'Lang)
• Lanao del Sur
• The northern portion of Maguindanao del Norte (Buldon, Barira, Matanog, Parang, Sultan Mastura, Sultan Kudarat, Cotabato City, Kabuntalan, Northern Kabuntalan)
• The northern portion of Maguindanao del Sur (Pagagawan, Pagalungan)
• The rest of Lanao del Norte
• The rest of Misamis Occidental
• The eastern and central portions of Zamboanga del Norte (Mutia, Piñan, Polanco, Dipolog City, Dapitan City, Sibutad, Rizal, La Libertad, Labason, Kalawit, Liloy, Salug, Bacungan, Sindangan, Jose Dalman, Manukan, Pres. Manuel A. Roxas, Katipunan, Sergio Osmeña Sr., Siayan, Godod, Tampilisan, Gutalac, Baliguian)
• The northern and central portions of  Zamboanga del Sur (Bayog, Kumalarang, Lapuyan, San Miguel, Guipos, Dinas, San Pablo, Dumalinao, Pagadian City, Tigbao, Lakewood, Dumingag, Mahayag, Molave, Josefina, Tambulig, Aurora, Ramon Magsaysay, Sominot, Midsalip, Labangan, Tukuran)
• The northern portion of  Zamboanga Sibugay (Kabasalan, Diplahan, Naga, Titay, Ipil, Buug, Roseller Lim, Siay)

At 7 p.m., Basyang was located 115 km east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, with maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 90 km/h. It was moving west northwestward at 25 km/h.

PAGASA said minimal to minor impacts from strong winds may occur in areas under Signal No. 1, while minor to moderate impacts from gale-force winds may persist in areas under Signal No. 2.

“It must be emphasized that heavy rainfall and severe winds may still be experienced in localities outside the landfall point and the forecast confidence cone,” PAGASA said.

The surge of the Northeast Monsoon will also bring strong to gale-force gusts over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Abra, northern portion of Mainland Cagayan, eastern portion of Isabela, most of Central Luzon, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, Bicol Region, most of MIMAROPA, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Dinagat Islands, Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga Peninsula, southern portion of SOCCSKSARGEN, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, and Davao Oriental on Friday.

Minimal to moderate risk of storm surge with peak heights reaching up to 2.0 m is expected within the next 48 hours over the low-lying or exposed coastal communities of Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo islands, Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Cebu, Bohol, Southern Leyte, Leyte, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, and Davao Oriental.

A gale warning is also in effect over the eastern and central seaboards of Visayas and the northern and eastern seaboards of Mindanao.

Basyang will make its initial landfall over Surigao del Sur between Thursday night and early Friday morning.

“After crossing Mindanao, it is likely to emerge over Bohol Sea tomorrow morning, and may pass close or make another landfall over Siquijor and the southern portion of Negros Oriental by tomorrow afternoon to evening,” PAGASA said.

The storm is expected to emerge over the Sulu Sea by Friday evening or early Saturday morning, then traverse the northern portion of Palawan between Saturday afternoon and evening.

“Basyang is forecast to slightly weaken upon landfall as it interacts with the landmass, but it will likely remain a tropical storm,” PAGASA said.

“Further weakening into a tropical depression is forecast by Saturday and will be downgraded into a low pressure area by Sunday (February 8) afternoon or evening," it added. —VBL, GMA Integrated News