DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 20 February) – Storm signal 1 has been raised over 14 Mindanao provinces and 21 cities as Tropical Storm ‘Auring’ was spotted at 595 km east southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur as of 10 a.m. on Saturday, the state weather bureau said,
Mindanao has 27 provinces and 33 cities.
In its Severe Weather Bulletin No. 10 issued at 11 a.m. on Saturday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said ‘Auring’ (international name: Dujuan), was packing maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 90 km/h and was moving eastward at 15 km/h.. On Sunday morning it is estimated to be 240 km east southeast of Surigao City and by Monday morning at 80 km east of Roxas City in Capiz and on Tuesday morning, 30 km east of Coron in Palawan.
‘Auring’ is “forecast to gradually move northwestward in the next 12 hours” or between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday) before accelerating and is expected to make landfall “over the eastern coast of Caraga Region on Sunday afternoon or evening, then cross Visayas and MIMAROPA throughout the remainder of Sunday through Monday.”
‘Auring,’ it added, is more likely to remain as a tropical storm until it makes landfall over Caraga but “there is an increasing likelihood that the storm will weaken into a tropical depression before making landfall.”
“This storm will likely weaken considerably due to significant terrain interaction and persistent vertical wind shear during this passage over the archipelago and may reach tropical depression category by Monday,” PAGASA said.
Storm signal 1 was raised over Caraga region (Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur), Northern Mindanao region (Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte and Bukidnon), parts of the Davao region (Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao City), and Lanao del Sur in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Aside from Davao City, there are 20 other cities not specifically named but are part of the provinces listed under Storm signal 1. These are Surigao, Tandag, Bislig, Butuan, Cabadbaran, Bayugan, Cagayan de Oro, Gingoog, El Salvador, Oroquieta, Ozamiz, Tangub, Iligan, Malaybalay, Valencia, Mati, Tagum, Panabo, Island Garden City of Samal, and Marawi.
PAGASA’s SWB 10 warned of “scattered to widespread flooding (including flash floods) and rain-induced landslides” in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps.
It said “heavy to intense rains” are to be expected Saturday until Sunday noon in Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands, and Eastern Samar; “moderate to heavy with at times intense rains” in Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, and the rest of Caraga region and “light to moderate with at times heavy rains” in Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, and the rest of Northern Mindanao, Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas.
From Sunday noon to Monday noon, “moderate to heavy with at times intense rains” are expected in Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Cebu and Bohol while “light to moderate with at times heavy rains” are to be expected in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, the rest of Caraga region, Bicol Region, MIMAROPA, the southern portion of Quezon, and the rest of Visayas..
Zamboanga Peninsula region comprises the three Zamboangas (del Norte, del Sur and Sibugay) and the cities of Zamboanga, Pagadian and Isabela in Basilan.
PAGASA warned of rough seas over the northern and western seaboards of Mindanao and sea travel is “risky for all types of sea vessels. (MindaNews)
