By Brian Campued
Tropical Storm Ramil slightly weakened after making landfall over Gubat, Sorsogon late Friday afternoon, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
Based on the bulletin issued by PAGASA at 5:00 p.m., Ramil now packs maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph while moving slowly westward over the Bicol Region.
The state weather bureau said that after crossing the landmass or coastal waters of Bicol, Ramil will pass close or over Polillo Islands on Sunday morning, Oct. 19, before making landfall in the vicinity of Aurora.
However, the tropical storm is likely to re-intensify before its final landfall in Aurora within the next 24 hours “due to its proximity to the sea and the absence of large mountain ranges in Bicol Region.”
“The possibility of landfall over northern Quezon or southern Isabela instead of Aurora is also not ruled out based on the forecast confidence cone,” PAGASA added.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 remains hoisted over the following areas:
- Southeastern portion of Isabela (Dinapigue)
- southern portion of Quirino (Nagtipunan, Maddela)
- 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
- Northern and eastern portions of Camarines Sur (Tinambac, Siruma, Goa, San Jose, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Caramoan, Presentacion, Sagñay, Tigaon)
- Eastern portion of Albay (Rapu-Rapu, Bacacay, City of Tabaco, Malilipot, Santo Domingo, Manito, Tiwi, Malinao)
- Northeastern portion of Sorsogon (Prieto Diaz, City of Sorsogon, Gubat)
- Northern portion of Northern Samar (Laoang, Pambujan, San Roque, Mondragon, Rosario, Lavezares, San Jose, Catarman, Bobon, Palapag)
TCWS No. 1 is raised in the following locales:
- Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
- Rest of Isabela
- Rest of Quirino
- Rest of Nueva Vizcaya
- Apayao
- Abra
- Kalinga
- Mountain Province
- Ifugao
- Benguet
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
- La Union
- Pangasinan
- Rest of Aurora
- Nueva Ecija
- Eastern portion of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, Norzagaray, San Miguel, San Ildefonso, San Rafael, Angat)
- Eastern portion of Tarlac (Camiling, San Clemente, Santa Ignacia, Paniqui, Moncada, San Manuel, Anao, Ramos, Pura, Victoria, City of Tarlac, La Paz, Concepcion, Gerona)
- Eastern portion of Pampanga (Magalang, Arayat, Candaba)
- 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)
- Rest of Camarines Sur
- Rest of Albay
- Rest of Sorsogon
- Burias Island
- Ticao Island
- Rest of Northern Samar
- Northern portion of Eastern Samar (San Policarpo, Arteche, Oras, Dolores, Maslog, Jipapad, Taft, Can-Avid)
- Northern portion of Samar (Matuguinao, San Jose de Buan, Calbayog City, Gandara, Santa Margarita, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, Tagapul-An, Almagro, Santo Niño, Tarangnan, Paranas, City of Catbalogan, Jiabong, Motiong)
Areas placed under Wind Signal Nos. 2 and 1 may experience gale-force and strong winds that may cause minimal to moderate threat to life and property.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Ramil will also bring intense to torrential rains over Northern Samar and Eastern Samar until Sunday afternoon while heavy to intense rains are expected over Samar, Biliran, Sorsogon, Albay, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Quezon, Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, and Isabela.
Moderate to heavy rains will also drench Cagayan, Ilocos Sur, Apayao, Abra, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Pampanga, Metro Manila, Rizal, Laguna, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Masbate, Iloilo, Antique, Capiz, Aklan, Guimaras, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Cebu, and Negros Occidental.
The tropical storm may be out of the Philippine area of responsibility by Monday morning, Oct. 20.
-jpv
