Tropical cyclone Signal No. 1 was hoisted over Eastern Visayas and parts of the Bicol region and Northern Luzon yesterday as tropical depression “Carina” threatened to make landfall over Cagayan tonight, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration said yesterday.
Before noon yesterday, Carina was estimated at 175 kilometers east-northeast of Catarman, Northern Samar, maintaining maximum winds of 55 kilometers per hour, moving north-northwest at 15 kph.
Should it maintain its speed and track, Carina may make landfall over Cagayan tonight, said PAGASA’s Marine Meteorological Services Section chief Rene Paciente.
Signal No. 1 was raised over Cagayan, Isabela, northern Aurora, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, and Samar. These areas may experience 30 to 60 kph winds and moderate to heavy rains.
PAGASA said Carina is expected to intensify into a tropical storm before its landfall.
It warned areas under Signal No. 1, the rest of Visayas, and Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate against moderate to heavy rains which may trigger flash floods and landslides.
Likewise, the southwest monsoon or “hanging habagat” enhanced by Carina will bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains over Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan.
Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms.
The rest of Mindanao will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms.
Carina is expected to exit the country’s area of responsibility after traversing Northern Luzon tomorrow.
However, it will still bring stormy weather over Batanes, Ilocos Norte, Apayao, and Cagayan, including the Babuyan and Calayan group of islands.
Almost 3,000 passengers were stranded in different ports in Bicol and Eastern Visayas yesterday due to Carina.
The Philippine Coast Guard said also stranded were 346 rolling cargoes, 47 vessels, and 18 motor bancas.
The Coast Guard said 1,873 passengers were stranded in different ports in Bicol, along with 225 rolling cargoes, 40 vessels, and 18 motor bancas.
On the other hand, the Coast Guard said 896 passengers were stranded in different ports in Eastern Visayas, together with 121 rolling cargoes and seven vessels. (Ellalyn B. de Vera and Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)