By Brian Campued
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 is now up in northeastern mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana and Gonzaga towns) as Typhoon Marce (international name: Yinxing) becomes almost stationary, the state weather bureau said Wednesday afternoon.
In its tropical cyclone bulletin issued at 5:00 p.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said “Marce” was located 295 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan, packing maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 185 kph.
“Mabagal ang naging pagkilos nito pa-kanluran nitong nagdaang anim na oras. So, makikita natin pag medyo bumabagal, mas mapapadalas ang pagtama ng kaulapan sa ilang bahagi ng northern Luzon areas so malaki ang posibilidad na mababad sa paulan yung ilang bahagi ng northern Luzon,” PAGASA Assistant Weather Services Chief Chris Perez said in a public briefing.
In its track forecast, Marce may make landfall over or pass very close to Babuyan Islands and/or the northern portions of mainland Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, and Apayao between Thursday afternoon (Nov. 7) and Friday (Nov. 8).
The typhoon may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility Friday evening.
TCWS No. 2 is hoisted over the following areas in northern Luzon:
- Batanes
- Rest of Cagayan, including Babuyan Islands
- Northern portion of Isabela (Maconacon, San Pablo, Santa Maria, Divilacan)
- Apayao
- Northern portion of Kalinga (Rizal, Pinukpuk, Balbalan)
- Northern portion of Abra (Langiden, Bangued, Danglas, Tayum, La Paz, Dolores, Lagayan, San Juan, Lagangilang, Tineg, Lacub, Licuan-Baay, Malibcong)
- Ilocos Norte
- Northern portion of Ilocos Sur (Sinait, Cabugao, San Juan, Magsingal, Santo Domingo, Bantay, San Ildefonso, San Vicente, Santa Catalina)
TCWS No. 1 is also raised in the following areas:
- Rest of Ilocos Sur
- La Union
- Northwestern portion of Pangasinan (Bani, Bolinao, Anda, City of Alaminos, Agno, Sual)
- Rest of Abra
- Rest of Kalinga
- Mountain Province
- Ifugao
- Benguet
- Rest of Isabela
- Quirino
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler)
Marce and the northeasterly wind flow will also bring strong to gale-force gusts in most of Cagayan Valley and the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and Pangasinan today.
In terms of rainfall, heavy to intense rains will be experienced in Cagayan, Apayao, and Ilocos
Norte while moderate to heavy rains will persist over Batanes, Abra, Isabela, Ilocos Sur, and Aurora until Thursday afternoon.
PAGASA also raised a storm surge warning over the low-lying, coastal localities of Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and La Union within the next 48 hours.
Meanwhile, the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboard of Central Luzon is placed under a gale warning.
—av