MANILA - Typhoon Ambo continued to pack violent winds and intense rains as it hammered the eastern Philippines early Friday, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

In its 2 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the tropical cyclone has crossed Dalupiri, Capul and Ticao islands and was approaching Burias island.

Ambo has made several landfalls as of early Friday, PAGASA said: Dalupiri Island, Northern Samar (10:15 p.m. Thursday); Capul Island, Northern Samar (10:30 p.m. Thursday); Ticao Island, Masbate (12:00 a.m. Friday).

The typhoon was forecast to make landfall over Burias island, and over the Bondoc Peninsula in Southern Quezon by early Friday morning.

It was last located 55 kilometers west southwest of Juban in Sorsogon, packing maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, with gusts of up to 180 kph. It is moving northwest at 15 kph.

The typhoon's eyewall region was last spotted over Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands.

The state weather bureau said moderate to heavy with at times intense rains will be experienced over Bicol Region, Quezon, Northern Samar, Marinduque, Laguna, and Rizal until tonight.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 was raised over the following areas:

• Sorsogon
• Albay
• Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands
• Catanduanes
• Camarines Sur
• Camarines Norte
• Marinduque
• southern portion of Quezon (Pagbilao, Atimonan, Padre Burgos, Agdangan, Plaridel, Unisan, Gumaca, Pitogo, Perez, Alabat, Quezon, Tagkawayan, Calauag, Lopez, Macalelon, General Luna, Catanauan, Buenavista, Guinayangan, Mulanay, San Narciso, San Andres, San Francisco)
• western portion of Northern Samar (San Vicente, Capul, San Antonio, Allen, Victoria, San Isidro, Biri, Lavezares, Rosario, San Jose)

PAGASA said areas under Signal No. 3 will experience strong to destructive typhoon-force winds during the passage of the storm.

Meanwhile, the following areas under Signal No. 2 will experience strong to damaging gale/storm force winds during the passage of the typhoon.

• Southern portion of Aurora (Dipaculao, Baler, Maria Aurora, San Luis, Dingalan)
• Pampanga
• Nueva Ecija
• Tarlac
• Bulacan
• Metro Manila
• Cavite
• Batangas
• Laguna
• Rizal
• the rest of Quezon
• Romblon
• the rest of Northern Samar
• the northern portion of Samar (Calbayog City, Sta. Margarita, Gandara, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, Tarangnan, Sto. Niño, Almagro, Tagapul-an, Matuguinao, San Jose de Buan, Catbalogan City, Jiabong, Motiong, Zumarraga, Daram)
• Biliran

The following areas are under Signal No. 1:

• Mainland Cagayan
• Isabela
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• Pangasinan
• Apayao
• Kalinga
• Abra
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao, Benguet
• Zambales
• Bataan
• the rest of Aurora
• Oriental Mindoro

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council early Friday sent an extreme emergency alert after Metro Manila and nearby provinces were placed under Signal No. 2.

Residents were told to expect strong winds and heavy rains in the next 24 hours.

Between tonight and Saturday evening, Ambo is expected to bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Northern Quezon, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Isabela, Cagayan, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga, Apayao, and Benguet.

Storm surges of more than 2 meters may be experienced over the coastal areas of Catanduanes, Camarines Sur (north and east coast), Camarines Norte, and Quezon (coast facing Lamon and Lopez Bays).

Waves between 1 to 2 meters may also be experienced over the other coastal areas of Bicol Region, Quezon, and the coastal areas of Aurora, Samar (west coast), and Northern Samar (northwestern coast).

Along with large swells, this storm surge may cause potentially life-threatening coastal inundation, PAGASA said.

Residents in these areas were advised by the weather bureau to take precautionary measures, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and continue monitoring updates.

Ambo, the country's first tropical cyclone this year, made landfall over San Policarpo, Eastern Samar past noon Thursday. It struck as the nation still grappled with the coronavirus disease, prompting local governments to enforce distancing measures in evacuation centers.

Visit the ABS-CBN Weather Center for more updates.