MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Storm "Dante" (Choi-wan) is now approaching the southern portion of Eastern Visayas with landfall there seen by Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning, PAGASA said.
The agency in its latest bulletin said Dante was last seen at 220 kilometers east northeast of Maasin City in Southern Leyte.
It has shifted to a north northwestward direction at a speed of 15 kph, with peak winds still at 75 kph and gusts of up to 90 kph.
Dante is forecast to make an initial landfall over Eastern Samar or Leyte sometime between tonight or tomorrow morning.
Various areas across the country are now under PAGASA's tropical cyclone wind signals due to the fourth storm to enter the Philippines this year:
Signal 2 (Damaging gale-force winds prevailing or expected within 24 hours)
Luzon:
- Catanduanes
- southern portion of
- Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Presentacion, Lagonoy, San Jose, Sagñay, Garchitorena,
- Buhi, Iriga City, Bato,
- Nabua, Balatan, Goa,
- Tigaon, Ocampo, Bula,
- Baao, Pili, Minalabac,
- Milaor, Naga City,
- Calabanga, Bombon,
- Magarao, Canaman,
- Camaligan, Gainza, San
- Fernando, Tinambac,
- Siruma)
- Masbate including Ticao and Burias Island, Albay and Sorsogon
Visayas
- Eastern Samar
- Samar
- Northern Samar
- Biliran
- Leyte
- Southern Leyte
Mindanao
- Dinagat Islands
- Siargao
- Bucas Grande Islands
Signal No. 1 (Strong winds prevailing or expected within 36 hours)
Luzon
- Quezon including Polillo
- Islands
- Camarines Norte
- rest of Camarines Sur Marinduque
- Romblon
Visayas
- Aklan
- Capiz
- northern and central portion of Iloilo (Lambunao, Janiuay, Dumangas, Zarraga, New Lucena, Pototan, Mina, Badiangan, Dueñas, Calinog, Bingawan, City of Passi, San Enrique, Dingle, Barotac Nuevo, Banate, Anilao, Barotac Viejo, San Rafael, Lemery, Ajuy, Sara, San Dionisio, Concepcion, Batad, Estancia, Balasan, Carles)
- northern portion of Negros Occidental (San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto, Cadiz City, Sagay City, City of Escalante, Toboso, Calatrava, City of Talisay, Silay City, Enrique B. Magalona, City of Victorias, Manapla, Murcia, Bacolod City)
- Bohol
- northern and central portion of Cebu (Daanbantayan, Medellin, City of Bogo, San Remigio, Tabogon, Borbon, Tabuelan, Sogod, Tuburan, Catmon, Carmen, Danao City, Asturias, Balamban, Compostela, Liloan, Cebu City, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Consolacion, Cordova Toledo City, City of Talisay, Minglanilla, City of Naga, Pinamungahan, San Fernando, Aloguinsan, City of Carcar)
- Bantayan and Camotes Islands
Mindanao
- rest of Surigao del
- Norte
- Surigao del Sur
- Agusan del Norte
- Agusan del Sur
- northeastern portion of
- Misamis Oriental (Magsaysay, Gingoog City, Talisayan, Balingoan, Medina)
- Camiguin
What to expect
PAGASA said Dante will continue moving generally west northwestward or northwestward until Tuesday evening.
It is expected to keep its strength before making landfall, and may weaken into a tropical depression by Friday and to a low pressure area by Saturday.
Rains are seen to persist today through Wednesday morning in these areas:
Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains:
- Surigao del Norte
- Dinagat Islands
- Leyte
- Southern Leyte
- Biliran
- Samar
- Eastern Samar
Moderate to heavy rains:
- Surigao del Sur
- Agusan del Norte
- Northern Samar
- Bohol
- northern portion of
- Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands
- Sorsogon
- Masbate
Light to moderate with at times heavy rains:
- Catanduanes
- Albay
- Camarines Sur
- Misamis Oriental
- Agusan del Sur
- Camiguin
- Bukidnon
- Davao Region
- SOCCSKSARGEN
- rest of Central Visayas
In coastal waters, Dante will bring rough to very rough seas over the seaboards of areas under Signal No. 2, as well as over the eastern seaboard of Caraga.
"Sea travel is risky for small seacrafts over these waters," PAGASA said. "Mariners without the proper experience should immediately seek safe harbor."
Moderate to rough seas, meanwhile, will be experienced over the eastern seaboard of Davao Oriental, and the remaining seaboards of areas under Signal No. 1.
Forecast Position
- Wednesday noon: Over the coastal waters of Bacacay, Albay
- Thursday noon: In the vicinity of Dinapigue, Cagayan
- Friday morning: 85 km southeast of Basco, Batanes
- Saturday morning: 490 km northeast of Itbayat, Batanes