BY JHON ALDRIN CASINAS
Storm signal No. 2 has been raised in several areas as tropical storm “Auring” (international name “Dujuan”) maintained its strength while almost stationary over the Philippine Sea Sunday.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said signal No. 2 has been raised in the central and southern portions of Eastern Samar (Sulat, Taft, San Julian, Borongan City, Maydolong, Balangkayan, Balangiga, Lawaan, Llorente, Hernani, Gen. MacArthur, Quinapondan, Giporlos, Salcedo, Mercedes, and Guiuan) and Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte, including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands.
On the other hand, areas under signal No. 1 were Sorsogon, Masbate, including Ticao and Burias Islands, Albay, Catanduanes, and the eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Presentacion, Sagnay, Buhi, Iriga City, Nabua, Bato, and Balatan), Northern Samar, the rest of Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor, Negros Oriental, the northern and central portions of Negros Occidental (Kabankalan City, Himamaylan City, Binalbagan, Isabela, Moises Padilla, Hinigaran, La Castellana, Pontevedra, San Enrique, La Carlota City, Pulupandan, Valladolid, Bago City, Murcia, Bacolod City, Talisay City, Silay City, Enrique B. Magalona, Victorias City, Manapla, Cadiz City, Sagay City, Escalante City, Toboso, Calatrava, San Carlos City, and Salvador Benedicto), the eastern portion of Iloilo (San Rafael, Barotac Viejo, Lemery, Ajuy, Sara, Concepcion, San Dionisio, Batad, Estancia, Balasan, and Carles), and the eastern portion of Capiz (Roxas City, Panitan, Ma-Ayon, Cuartero, Dumarao, Panay, Pontevedra, President Roxas, and Pilar), Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao City, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, and Bukidnon.
Auring was last spotted 335 kilometers (kms) east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur at 10 a.m. Sunday, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. PAGASA said Auring is forecast continue moving generally west-northwest to northwest in the next 48 hours before its landfall over the Dinagat Islands-Eastern Samar-Leyte area between Sunday night or Monday morning.
“There is an increasing likelihood that Auring will weaken into a tropical depression before it makes landfall due to persistent high vertical wind shear associated with the surge of the northeast monsoon (amihan),” the State weather agency said.
“However, the possibility that the storm will maintain its strength until landfall is not yet ruled out,” it added.
After landfall, PAGASA said Auring may “weaken considerably due to significant terrain interaction and the increasing wind shear, leading to deterioration into a remnant low within 48 hours, possibly sooner.”
