MANILA, Philippines — PAGASA on Monday said Tropical Storm "Maring" (Kompasu) has reached severe tropical storm status as it approaches the Babuyan Islands.
The weather bureau in its 11 a.m. bulletin reported Maring was last seen at 240 kilometers east of Aparri in Cagayan, or 265 km east southeast of Calayan in the said province.
It now packs 95 kilometers per hour maximum sustained winds, and gustiness of up to 115 kph.
The 13th storm to enter the Philippines this year is moving westward at a speed of 15 kph.
As of noon on October 11, these areas remain under PAGASA's tropical cyclone wind signals:
Signal No. 2
(Damaging gale to storm-force winds prevailing or expected within 24 hours)
- Batanes
- Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
- northern portion of Isabela (Palanan, Divilacan, Maconacon, Ilagan City, Tumauini, Cabagan, San Pablo, Santa Maria, Santo Tomas, Delfin Albano, Quirino, Gamu, Roxas, Mallig, Quezon)
- Apayao
- Kalinga
- Mountain Province
- Abra
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
Signal No. 1
(Strong winds prevailing or expected within 36 hours)
- the rest of Isabela
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Quirino
- Ifugao
- Benguet
- La Union
- Pangasinan
- Aurora
- Nueva Ecija
- Tarlac
- Zambales
- Pampanga
- Bulacan
- the northern portion of Bataan (Samal, Morong, Dinalupihan, Abucay, Orani, Hermosa)
- the northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta) including Polillo Islands
- Calaguas Islands
What to expect
PAGASA said moderate to heavy with at times intense rains are highly likely over Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, as well as over Cordillera Administrative Region and Ilocos Region.
Central Luzon and the rest of Cagayan Valley, meanwhile, could see light to moderate with at times heavy rains.
"Under these conditions, scattered flash floods and rain-induced landslides are highly likely especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps," PAGASA said.
Monsoon rains or the habagat due to Maring are also possible over Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, and Oriental Mindoro in the next 24 hours.
Gale warning is also in effect over the seaboard of Southern Luzon and Visayas, as well as over the western seaboard of Central Luzon which is not under a storm signal.
PAGASA said Maring will continue moving westward over the Luzon Strait this afternoon and early Tuesday morning, where it could pass very close or over the Babuyan Islands tonight.
"The possibility of landfall over mainland northern Cagayan or a close approach over Batanes is not yet ruled out," it said.
Maring is forecast to make its way out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Tuesday morning.
It could reach typhoon category on that day when it is over the West Philippine Sea.
Forecast Position
- Tuesday morning: 305 km west of Calayan, Cagayan
- Wednesday morning: 945 km west of Extreme Northern Luzon (outside PAR)