CAGAYAN DE ORO (MindaNews / 18 December) — Tropical depression ‘Kabayan’ (Jelawat) intensified into a tropical storm late Sunday night, packing 65 kilometer per hour winds as it moved into Northern Mindanao and Caraga region on Monday.
PAGASA spotted the tropical storm at 11 p.m. Sunday night at 275 kilometers east of Davao City and by 4 a.m. Monday was over the coastal waters of Caraga in Davao Oriental, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 80 km/h, and central pressure of 1002 hPa, moving west northwestward at 15 km/h.
Track and Intensity forecast of tropical depression ‘Kabayan.’ as of 5 a.m. Monday, 18 December 2023.(Courtesy of PAGASA)
Strong to gale-force winds are expected to extend outwards up to420 km from the center, PAGASA’s Tropical Cyclone Bulletin No. 9 issued at 5 a.m. on Monday, said.
It said ‘Kabayan’ is expected to be in the vicinity of Tambulig, Zamboanga del Sur by 2 p.m. on Monday and 305 km west of Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte by 2 a.m. on Tuesday and Rizal, Palawan by 2 p.m.
‘Kabayan’ was expected to make landfall along the coast of Surigao del Sur or Davao Oriental late Sunday night or early Monday morning.
Ann Fortich of PAGASA El Salvador, Misamis Oriental told reporters in Cagayan de Oro late Sunday night that “by 8 a.m. Monday, Kabayan will be in the vicinity of Malitbog town in Bukidnon and Cagayan de Oro.”
In its Tropical Cylone Bulletin No. 7 issued at 11 p.m. Sunday, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 was raised over the provinces of Dinagat Islands, Surigao Del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur and the northern portion of Davao Oriental.
In its Tropical Cyclone Bulletin No. 9 issued at 5 a.m., Monday, the five-province Caraga region remained under Signal No. 2: Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, Surigao del Sur, the northern portion of Agusan del Norte (Kitcharao, Jabonga, Santiago, City of Cabadbaran,
Remedios T. Romualdez, Tubay), the eastern portion of Agusan del Sur (Trento, Bunawan, San Francisco, Rosario, Prosperidad, City of Bayugan, Sibagat), and the northern portion of Davao Oriental (Boston and Cateel) remained under Signal No. 2.
Signal No. 1 was raised over 13 Mindanao provinces along with the rest of Agusan del Norte, the rest of Agusan del Sur and central portion of Davao Oriental (Baganga, Manay, Caraga, Tarragona, Lupon, Banaybanay): Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, the northern portion of Maguindanao del Norte (Buldon, Barira, Matanog, Parang, Sultan Kudarat, Sultan Mastura), the northern portion of Cotabato (Arakan, Carmen, Banisilan, Alamada, President Roxas, Kabacan, Matalam, Antipas, Magpet, Libungan, Pigkawayan), the northern and central portions of Zamboanga del Norte (Siayan, Sindangan, Jose Dalman, Manukan, Pres. Manuel A. Roxas, Sergio Osmeña Sr., Katipunan, Dipolog City, Polanco, Mutia, Piñan, Dapitan City, Sibutad, La Libertad, Rizal, Siocon, Baliguian, Gutalac, Labason, Kalawit, Tampilisan, Liloy, Salug, Godod, Bacungan), Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay, and Davao City.
Nick Jabagat, chief of the Cagayan de Oro Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office said their operation center went on “red alert” Sunday in anticipation of a worst case scenario.
“The eastern barangays of Bugo, Puerto, Agusan, Tablon, Cugman and Agusan is always high risk if their rivers overflow their banks, Jabagat said.
He said PAGASA informed them to expect 50 to 100 millimeters of rain once Tropical Storm ‘Kabayan’ reaches the vicinity of Cagayan de Oro on Monday. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)