Urduja slightly accelerates, to make landfall Saturday afternoon

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Storm Urduja has slightly gained speed and is expected to make a landfall in Northern Samar and Eastern Samar Saturday afternoon.

In its 11 a.m. weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration tracked the center of "Urduja" at 75 kilometers north northeast of Borongan City, Eastern Samar, or 120 km east southeast of Catarman, Northern Samar as of 10 a.m.

The tropical storm is also packing maximum sustained winds of 80 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 110 kph.

The state weather bureau warned residents in Bicol Region and Visayas to brace for scattered to widespread moderate to heavy rains, which can also be felt over Southern Quezon, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Mindoro Provinces, Marinduque and Romblon.

“Residents of these areas must undertake appropriate measures against flooding and landslides and coordinate with their local disaster risk reduction and management offices,” PAGASA said.

“Sea travel remains risky over the seaboards of areas under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal,” it added.

Tropical cylone warning signal no. 2 has been raised over Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate (including Burias and Ticao islands) and Romblon. The same weather warning was also issued over Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Aklan, Capiz and Northen Iloilo.

Meanwhile, Southern Quezon, Mindoro, Marinduque, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Cuyo Islands and Calamian Group of Islands have been placed under storm signal no. 1.

Antique, Rest of Iloilo, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Northern Negros Oriental, Cebu, Northern Bohol and Southern Leyte were also under signal no. 1.

LIST: Domestic flights canceled due to ‘Urduja’