By ELLALYN V. RUIZ
More areas in Central and Southern Luzon, including Metro Manila, were placed under tropical cyclone wind signal No. 1 as tropical depression “Tonyo” continues to move towards the southern Quezon-Batangas area Sunday morning.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration raised signal No. 1 over Metro Manila, Camarines Norte, western portion of Camarines Sur, Quezon, including Polillo Islands, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Batangas, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, southern portion of Nueva Ecija, southern portion of Tarlac, southern portion of Aurora, central and southern portions of Zambales, Marinduque, northern portion of Romblon, northern and central portions of Oriental Mindoro, and northern and central portions of Occidental Mindoro, including Lubang Island.
Storm signals in other areas of the Bicol region and Eastern Visayas have been lifted.
As of 7 a.m. Sunday, Tonyo was 70 kilometers southwest of Alabat, Quezon or 40 kms south-southwest of Tayabas, Quezon with maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 60 kph.
PAGASA said the center of Tonyo made its second landfall over Torrijos, Marinduque at around 4:30 a.m. and may have its third landfall over Sariaya, Quezon or San Juan, Batangas within the next hour.
It had its first landfall over northern Ticao Island, Masbate around 9 p.m. Saturday.
Tonyo will emerge over the West Philippine Sea Sunday morning or afternoon and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Monday morning.
Tonyo is still expected to bring light to moderate with at times heavy rains over Ilocos region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, and Palawan, including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands.
Areas under signal No. 1 are currently experiencing or will be experiencing strong breeze to near gale conditions with occasional gusts throughout the passage of Tonyo.
The northeast monsoon or “amihan” may also bring strong breeze to near gale conditions over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Apayao, and the northern portion of mainland Cagayan.
PAGASA said Tonyo and the easterlies, or the warm and humid winds originating from the Pacific, will cause moderate to rough seas over areas under signal No. 1, eastern seaboards of Cagayan Valley, Aurora, northern portion of Quezon, and northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes.
Those using small boats were advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea, while inexperienced mariners were recommended to avoid navigating in these conditions.
The amihan will also trigger rough to very rough seas over the seaboards of Batanes, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and the northern seaboards of Cagayan and Babuyan Islands.
Sea travel has been suspended in these areas.
