DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 21 Dec) — Thirteen of Mindanao’s 27 provinces have been placed under storm signal no. 2 as tropical storm ‘Vinta’ (Tembin) has intensified further and is expected to make landfall over Surigao del Sur either late Thursday evening (December 21) or Friday morning (December 22), according to Severe Weather Bulletin 8 issued at 8 p.m. Thursday by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
Signal number 2 was raised over the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, the northern part of Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur and the northern part of Zamboanga del Norte, all in Mindanao, and Siquijor and Southern Negros Oriental in the Visayas, the weather advisory said.
Signal number 1 was raised over the rest of Davao Oriental, the rest of Zamboanga del Norte, and seven other provinces in Mindanao – Dinagat Island, Misamis Occidental, North Cotabato, Maguindanao, Davao del Sur, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay in Mindanao and in the Visayas, Southern Leyte, southern portion of Leyte, Southern Cebu, Bohol and Southern Negros Occidental.
Mindanao has 27 provinces.
As of 7 p.m. Thursday, ‘Vinta’s’ center was estimated at 130 km east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, packing maximum winds of up to 85 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 120 kph, the weather bulletin said.
‘Vinta’ is forecast to move west at 19 kph and will be 65 km northwest of El Salvador City in Misamis Oriental by Friday afternoon; 145 km south southeast of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan by Saturday afternoon; 465 km west of Puerto Princesa, outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Sunday afternoon; and 1,060 km west of Puerto Princesa City by Monday afternoon. (MindaNews)
