'Ursula' may intensify into typhoon before landfall over Eastern Samar

MANILA, Philippines — Severe Tropical Storm Ursula (international name Phanfone) may further intensify into a tyhoon prior to making landfall over Eastern Samar Tuesday afternoon or evening.

State weather bureau PAGASA said the weather disturbance continues to intensify as it threatens the Eastern Visayas.

Ursula was located 185 kilometers east of Guian, Eastern Samar as of 10 a.m. The severe tropical storm has maximum winds of up to 110 kph and gusts of up to 135 kph. It is moving wesr at 20 kph.

Tropical cyclone wind signals (TCWS) are still raised in the following areas:

TCWS No. 2

(61 to 120 kph prevailing or expected in 24 hours)

• Southern portion of Quezon (Mulanay, San Narciso, San Andres, San Francisco)
• Marinduque
• eastern Oriental Mindoro (Socorro, Pola, Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay, Bulalacao)
• southern Occidental Mindoro (Calintaan, Rizal, San Jose, Magsaysay)
• Romblon
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands
• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Leyte
• Biliran
• extreme northern Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands (Bantayan, Madridejos, Santa Fe, Daanbantayan, Medellin, San Remigio, Bogo City, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Borbon, San Francisco, Poro, Tudela, Pilar)
• northeastern Iloilo (Carles, Balasan, Estancia, Batad, San Dionisio, Sara, Concepcion, Lemery, Ajuy)
• northern Antique (Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, Culasi, Tibiao)
• Capiz
• Aklan

TCWS No. 1

(30 to 60 kph winds prevailing or expected in 36 hours)

• Bulacan
• Bataan
• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• Cavite
• rest of Quezon
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Camarines Sur
• Camarines Norte
• Catanduanes
• rest of Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island
• rest of Oriental Mindoro
• northern Palawan (Linapacan, El Nido, Taytay, Araceli, Dumaran, San Vicente, Roxas)
• Calamian Islands
• Cuyo Islands
• Southern Leyte
• the rest of northern Cebu (Carmen, Asturias, Tuburan, Catmon, Sogod)
• Central Cebu (Aloguinsan, Carcar City, Pinamungahan, San Fernando, Naga City, Toledo City, Minglanilla, Balamban, Talisay City, Cebu City, Cordova, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, Danao City)
• northeastern Bohol (Inabanga, Danao, Dagohoy, Pilar, Guindulman, Anda, Candijay, Alicia, Buenavista, Jetafe, Talibon, Trinidad, Bien Unido, San Miguel, Ubay, Mabini, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia)
• the rest of Antique
• the rest of Iloilo
• Guimaras
• northern Negros Occidental (Bacolod City, Bago City, Cadiz City, Calatrava, Enrique B. Magalona, Escalante City, La Carlota City, La Castellana, Manapla, Moises Padilla, Binalbagan, Hinigaran, Isabela, Murcia, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, Sagay City, Salvador Benedicto, San Carlos City, San Enrique, Silay City, Talisay City, Toboso, Valladolid, Victorias City)
• and northern Negros Oriental (Canlaon City, Guihulngan City, Jimalalud, La Libertad, Vallehermoso)
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands

Portions of Eastern Visayas may be placed under TCWS No. 3 Tuesday afternoon as Ursula intensifies.

Areas under TCWS No. 2 may begin to experience damaging gale to storm-force winds that would bring light to moderate damage to high-risk structures and at most light damage to medium-risk structures.

Between Tuesday and Wednesday noon, occasional to frequent heavy rains will be experienced over Dinagat Islands, Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, Eastern Visayas, Sorsogon, Masbate, northern and central Cebu, northern Negros Provinces, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras and Romblon.

Meanwhile, the rest of Bicol Region, Quezon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, and the rest of Visayas and Surigao del Norte will experience light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains.

Ursula is forecast to be outside the Philippine area of responsibility by Saturday morning. — Patricia Lourdes Viray