13 areas now under Signal No. 3

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) — More areas are now under public storm warning signal no. 3 as Typhoon "Glenda" continues to maintain its strength while moving closer to Luzon, state weather bureau PAGASA said before Tuesady noon.

In its latest weather bulletin, PAGASA said Glenda was located at 160 kilometers east southeast of Legazpi City or 80 kilometers east northeast of Catarman, Northern Samar at 10 a.m.

"Glenda" was still packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph.

Public storm warning signals have been hoisted over the following areas:

Signal No. 3
Catanduanes
Albay
Sorsogon
Camarines Sur
Camarines Norte
Masbate
Burias Island
Ticao Island
Southern Quezon
Marinduque
Northern Samar
Northern part of Samar
Eastern Samar

Signal No. 2
Rest of Quezon
Polilio Island
Batangas
Laguna
Cavite
Rizal
Bulacan
Pampanga
Bataan
Metro Manila
Biliran
Rest of Samar
Rest of Eastern Samar
Northern part of Leyte province

Signal No. 1
Romblon
Oriental Mindoro
Occidental Mindoro
Lubang Island
Zambales
Tarlac
Nueva Ecija
Pangasinan
Quirino
Nueva Vizcaya
Benguet
La Union
Aurora
Southern part of Leyte province
Camotes Island

PAGASA said residents in low-lying and mountainous areas under the storm signals are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides. Those living in coastal areas under signal no. 3 and 2 are alerted against storm surges.

Moderate to intense rainfall amount (7.5-25 millimeters per hour) is expected within the 500-km diameter of the typhoon.

The weather bureau said Glenda is expected to make landfall over Albay-Sorsogon this afternoon and then cross Albay towards Southern Luzon.

It is expected to be in the vicinity of Metro Manila by Wednesday morning and exit the Luzon landmass through Zambales in the afternoon.

Glenda would be at 300 kilometers west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur by Thursday morning. By Friday, the typhoon is expected to be in the vicinity of Southern China.

PAGASA earlier said Metro Manila, the Bicol region, Calabarzon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro and Northern Samar will experience stormy weather today while Central Luzon and the provinces of Romblon, northern part of Leyte, Occidental Mindoro, Aklan, Capiz, Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino, will have rains with gusty winds and rough to very rough coastal waters.

The rest of Visayas and Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms while rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

PAGASA is advising fishing boats and other small sea crafts not to venture out into the eastern seaboards of Luzon and of Visayas.

The agency said moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast to northwest will prevail over Visayas and the rest of Luzon and coming from the west to southwest over Mindanao with moderate to rough seas.

Alexander Pama, executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said the council's field offices in at least seven regions, including Metropolitan Manila, had been put on alert for landslides and flash floods.

"Our initial assessment is that there is not much on the wind. What we are wary about are landslides, flooding," Pama said.

Schools suspended classes Monday afternoon in some areas, including Manila, the capital. Local officials urged sea vessels not to sail in the storm's path, readied relief goods and prepared for the possible evacuation of residents, especially in flood- and landslide-prone areas.

Rammasun's impact is expected to be felt in metropolitan Manila starting Tuesday and will be over the capital by early Wednesday before moving into the South China Sea through either Bataan or Zambales province in the northwest, forecasters said. It is expected to be out of Philippine territory by Thursday, possibly moving toward southern China.

Central Philippine provinces have not yet fully recovered from the massive devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan last November. Haiyan's strong winds and tsunami-like storm surges flattened towns, leaving at least 6,300 people dead and more than 1,000 missing. -with AP