Tropical cyclone Ursula

Authorities say the number of people killed by a powerful storm that pummeled the central Philippines over Christmas has risen to 50, making it the nation's deadliest storm of 2019.

Typhoon Ursula's destructive winds and heavy rains brought down flimsy homes and destroyed commercial buildings mainly in the central island of Visayas, affecting more than two million people.

At least 80,000 remain in emergency shelters and might have to stay until the New Year, given the scale of destruction. — AFP

PAGASA says "Ursula" slightly weakens as it exits the Philippine area of responsibility.

Tropical Storm Ursula left PAR at 9:50 a.m. Saturday. It is no longer affecting the Philippines.

"However, the Tail-End of a Cold Front will bring scattered light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms over Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, and Aurora this morning," the state weather bureau says. 

PAGASA says Typhoon Ursula is no longer affecting the Philippines directly. 

Based on its 11 a.m. weather bulletin Friday, "Ursula" keeps its strenght while moving north-northwestward over the West Philippine Sea.

"However, the Tail-End of a Cold Front will bring moderate to occasional heavy rains over most of Cagayan Valley and Cordillera Administrative Region," says PAGASA. 

"This rainfall may trigger flooding and landslides in highly to very highly susceptible areas," it adds.

As of 6 a.m. Friday, the NDRRMC says the death toll in the aftermath of Typhoon Ursula rose to 28. Of this number, four deaths are recorded in Capiz, two in Aklan, 13 in Iloilo, one in Cebu, one in Southern Leyte, two in Leyte, one in Biliran, three in Eastern Samar and one in Western Samar.

Two are recorded injured in Iloilo while 12 people are still missing.

Typhoon Ursula continues to barrel away from the Philippines and it no longer has any direct effect in any part of the country's landmass, PAGASA says. 

The state weather bureau says "Ursula's" outer rain bands are still bringing light rains to parts of Zambales and Bataan but weather conditions there are expected to improve in the next hours.

"Ursula" is expected to be outside the Philippine area of responsibility by Saturday morning. 

As of 4 a.m., its eye is located 335 km west of Subic, Zambales.

It packs maximum sustained winds of 120 kph and gusts of 150 kph.

Signal warnings are now lifted for Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, the rest of Occidental Mindoro and the rest of extreme northern Palawan as Typhoon Ursula slightly weakens.

At 10 a.m. the eye of the typhoon is located 235 km northwest of Coron, Palawan. It is moving west-northwest at 15 kph.

It packs maximum sustained winds of 120 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph. 

Typhoon Ursula (international name: Phanfone) slightly slows down and is now over the West Philippine Sea. It is seen to exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Saturday morning.

PAGASA says they expect that all TCWS will be lifted today as "Ursula" barrels away from the Philippine landmass.

The Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal is now lifted for the northwestern portions of Aklan and Antique, western portion of Romblon, Marinduque, southwestern portion of Quezon, Laguna, and some portions of extreme northern Palawan including Cuyo Islands.

At 4 a.m. today, the eye of the typhoon was located 155 km northwest of Coron, Palawan. It packs maximum sustained winds of up to 130 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 160 kph.

Signal No. 2 is up over Calamian Islands (Coron, Culion and Busuanga) while Signal No. 1 is raised over Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island and the rest of extreme northern Palawan (Linapacan, El Nido).

PAGASA says "Ursula", which is now off the coast of Magsaysay, Occidental Mindoro, maintains strength.

Based on its 5 p.m. weather bulletin Wednesday, the typhoon was situated at 15 kilometers south southwest of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.

It has maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour near the center and gust of up to 195 kph. Typhoon Ursula is moving west northwest at 20 kph,

PAGASA says Typhoon Ursula maintains its strength heading toward the southern portion of Mindoro provinces.

As of 1 p.m. Wednesday, December 25, the typhoon was located at 70 kilometers southeast of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.

It has maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour near the center and gust of up to 195 kph. "Ursula" is moving west at 20 kph. 

Typhoon "Ursula" pummelled the central Philippines on Christmas Day, bringing a wet and miserable holiday season to millions in the mainly Catholic nation.

PAGASA says Typhoon Ursula maintains its strength while moving westward off the coast of Capiz.

Based on its 8 a.m. weather bulletin, the eye of the typhoon was located at 30 kilometers northwest of Roxas City, Capiz or 95 km south southeast of Romblon, Romblon.

It is moving west at 20 kilometers per hour, with maximum sustained winds of 140 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 195 kph.

'Ursula' makes landfall in Salcedo, Eastern Samar at 4:45 p.m., PAGASA reports.

The Department of Agriculture urges farmers in the path of Tropical Storm Ursula to harvest their mature crops or delay planting.

Regional field offices have also been ordered "to enforce appropriate measures to minimize damages, including harm to farmers, fishers, other ruralfolk and their families."

The DA says 'Ursula' may affect southern Luzon, the Bicol region, the Visayas and the Caraga regions. 

Flooding in low-lying production areas and occurrence of landslides in mountainous areas are the possible risks that may occur; thus, farmers, fishers, and other rural folk are advised to take precautions as advised by their respective local disaster risk reduction and management councils (DRRMCs).

The areas potentially affected by the storm cover "356,640 hectares with 318,694 hectares for rice and 37,946 hectares for corn. For rice, areas under reproductive and maturity stages are 105,682 ha (33%) and 62,552 ha (19%), respectively. 

"While for corn, areas under reproductive and maturity stages are 10,466 ha (28%)  and 8,432 ha (22%), respectively."

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority suspends operations of the Pasig River Ferry Service as Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 is raised over Metro Manila due to Typhoon Ursula.

Normal operations will resume on December 26, it says.

"Ursula" has intensified into a severe tropical storm as it moves closer to northeastern Mindanao and eastern Visayas.

Tropical cyclone wind signals (TCWS) have been raised in the following areas:

Signal no. 2

• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Masbate
• 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)
• northeastern Capiz (Pilar, President Roxas, Pontevedra, Panay)

Signal no. 1

• Bulacan
• Bataan
• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• Cavite
• Quezon
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Camarines Sur
• Camarines Norte
• Catanduanes
• Marinduque
• Romblon
• Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island
• Oriental Mindoro
• 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)
• Aklan
• Antique
• the rest of Capiz
• 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)
• northern Negros Oriental (Canlaon City, Guihulngan City, Jimalalud, La Libertad, Vallehermoso)
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte
• Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands

More areas are placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 as Tropical Storm Ursula slightly accelerates while maintaining strength.

"Ursula" is forecast to gradually intensify into a severe tropical storm prior to landfall over Eastern Visayas tomorrow afternoon or evening.

Here are the areas under Signal No. 1:

• Eastern Samar
• Northern Samar
• Samar
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• northern Cebu (Carmen, Asturias, Tuburan, Catmon, Sogod, Borbon, Tabuelan, Tabogon, San Remigio, Bogo, Medellin, Daanbantayan, Bantayan Islands, Camotes Islands)
• central Cebu (Balamban, Talisay, Cebu City, Cordova, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, Danao)
• northeastern Bohol (Inabanga, Danao, Dagohoy, Pilar, Guindulman, Anda, Candijay, Alicia, Buenavista, Jetafe, Talibon, Trinidad, Bien Unido, San Miguel, Ubay, Mabini, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia)
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte including Siargao Islands

PAGASA raised Signal No. 1 in three areas hours after Tropical Storm Ursula (international name: Phanfone) entered the Philippine area of responsibility at 5 a.m. Monday.

The areas under Signal No. 1 are Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands and insular municipalities of Surigao del Norte (Burgos, Sta. Monica, San Isidro, San Benito, Del Carmen, Pilar, Dapa, Gen. Luna and Socorro)

"Ursula" is forecast to gradually intensify into a severe tropical storm prior to its landfall over Eastern Visayas tomorrow afternoon or evening.

Between the morning of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the state weather bureau says moderate to heavy rains can be expected over Dinagat Islands, Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, Eastern Visayas, Sorsogon, Masbate, Romblon, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, and the northern portions of Cebu and Negros Occidental.

Meanwhile, light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains are forecast over Quezon and the rest of Visayas, Bicol Region and Surigao del Norte.

At 7 a.m., the center of "Ursula" was located 900 km east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. It packs maximum sustained winds of up to 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

Tropical Storm Ursula (international name: Phanfone) has entered the Philippine area of responsibility at 5 a.m. Monday.

PAGASA will issue its first severe weather bulletin on "Ursula" at 8 a.m. today.

Monitor updates on "Ursula," the 21st tropical cyclone to hit the country this year.