MANILA, (PNA) — Signal no. 3 has been hoisted over Aurora province as tropical storm “Santi” intensified into a typhoon as it continues to move towards Aurora-Isabela area, the state weather forecaster said on Friday.
Weather Forecaster Alvin Pura said that as of 7 a.m. the eye of typhoon Santi was located at 300 km east of Baler, Aurora packed with maximum winds of 120 kph and gustiness of up to 150 kph. It is forecast to move west at 15 kph.
Pura said Santi is expected to make a landfall over Aurora-Isabela Friday night or early Saturday.
With its present speed and movement, Santi may exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) Sunday afternoon.
Pura said that public storm warning signal no. 3 has been raised over Aurora — winds or more than 100 kph up to 185 kph should be expected in at least 18 hours.
PAGASA said that 14 areas have been placed under storm warning signal no.2 (61-100 kph winds) namely Isabela, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Quirino, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Zambales, Northern Quezon, Polilio Island, Pampanga and Bulacan.
Public storm warning signal no. 1 (30-60 kph winds), on the other hand, was hoisted over Southern Cagayan, Kalinga, Abra, Mt. Province, Ilocos Sur, Bataan, Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Lubang islands, Quezon, Marinduque, Camarines provinces, Albay and Catanduanes.
“Residents in low-lying and mountainous areas under signals #3, #2 & #1 are alerted against possible flash floods and landslides. Likewise, those living in coastal areas under signal #3 and #2 are alerted against storm surges,” PAGASA said.
PAGASA said Santi may bring rainfall of 7.5 to 30.0 mm per hour (heavy to intense) within its 500-km diameter of the typhoon.
The typhoon was forecast to be within Baler on Saturday morning; 210 kilometers west of Dagupan City by Sunday morning; and 580 km west of Baguio City by Monday morning.
“Isabela, Ifugao, Nueva Viscaya, Quirino, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, Northern Quezon including Polilio Islands and Central Luzon will experience stormy weather with rough to very rough seas,” PAGASA said in its advisory.
The weather agency said Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Marinduque, Lubang islands, Abra, Kalinga, Ilocos Sur, Mt. Province, Southern Cagayan, Catanduanes, Albay and Camarines provinces will have rains with gusty winds with moderate to rough seas.
The rest of Luzon and Visayas will be cloudy with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms. Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms, it added.
PAGASA also said strong to gale-force winds associated with Typhoon Santi may affect the eastern seaboard of Northern Luzon and of Visayas.
“Fishing boats and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves,” it said.