Super typhoon 'Yolanda' hits land; 21 areas under signal no. 4

MANILA, Philippines - Super typhoon "Yolanda" has made landfall over the Visayas where 21 areas have been placed under public storm warning signal no. 4, state weather bureau PAGASA said early Friday morning.

In its 5 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Yolanda made landfall  over Guiuan, Eastern Samar around 4:40 a.m. and was last observed at 62 kilometers southeast of the said area.

Yolanda is packed with maximum sustained winds of 235 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 275 kph.

The super typhoon is now battering Visayas as storm warning signals have been hoisted over the following areas:

Signal No. 4
Masbate
Ticao Island
Southern Sorsogon
Romblon
Northern Samar
Eastern Samar
Samar
Leyte
Southern Leyte
Biliran Province
Northern Cebu
Cebu City
Bantayan Islands
Camotes Islands
Northern Negros Occidental
Capiz
Aklan
Antique
Iloilo
Guimaras
Dinagat Province

Signal No. 3
Rest of Sorsogon
Burias Island
Albay
Marinduque
Occidental Mindoro
Oriental Mindoro
Calamian Group of Islands
Rest of Negros Occidental
Negros Oriental
Rest of Cebu
Bohol
Surigao del Norte
Siargao Island

Signal No. 2
Catanduanes
Camarines Sur
Southern Quezon
Laguna
Batangas
Rizal
Metro Manila
Cavite
Bataan
Lubang Islands
Northern Palawan
Puerto Princesa
Siquijor
Camiguin
Surigao Del Sur
Agusan del Norte

Signal No. 1
Camarines Norte
Rest of Quezon
Polilio Island
Bulacan
Pampanga
Zambales
Misamis Oriental
Agusan del Sur

PAGASA said Yolanda is now expected to traverse the provinces of Biliran, the Northern tip of Cebu, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Romblon, Semirara Island, the Southern part of Mindoro then Busuanga.

Forecast to move west northwest at 39 kph, Yolanda will exit the Philippine landmass on Saturday early morning towards the West Philippine Sea.

Heavy to intense rainfall amount (10 to 30 millimeters per hour) is expected within the 400-kilometer diameter of the typhoon.

PAGASA said heavy to intense rains are affecting Surigao Del Norte, Surigao Del Sur, Agusan Del Norte, Agusan Del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Bukidnon, Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental, Lanao Del Norte, LanaoDelSur, Misamis Occidental and Zamboanga Peninsula, which may continue for the next to to three hours.