More areas to be placed under storm signal as 'Urduja' moves closer to Samar

MANILA - More areas in southern Luzon are expected to be placed under storm signal No. 1 as Tropical Storm "Urduja" moved closer to Northern and Eastern Samar and is estimated to make landfall Saturday afternoon or evening, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

In its weather bulletin issued at 8 a.m., PAGASA said Urduja was last spotted 125 kilometers east northeast of Borongan City, Eastern Samar, packing maximum sustained winds of 80 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 95 kph.

The storm is moving west at 10 kph.

Apart from areas where storm signals were earlier hoisted, PAGASA said Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1 may be expected to be raised over the Mindoro Provinces, Batangas, and Cuyo and the Calamian group of islands in Palawan within 3 hours.

Residents of the Bicol Region and the Visayas, southern Quezon, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Mindoro, Marinduque and Romblon are warned against flooding and landslides as Urduja is expected to dump moderate to heavy rains over these areas.

Likewise, sea travel remains risky over seaboards in areas under storm signals.

The following tropical cyclone warning signals have been raised in these areas:

SIGNAL NO. 2:

• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Masbate, including Burias and Ticao Islands
• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Biliran
• Leyte

SIGNAL No. 1:

• Southern Quezon
• Marinduque
• Romblon
• Catanduanes
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Aklan
• Antique
• Capiz
• Iloilo
• Guimaras
• Negros Occidental
• Northern Negros Oriental
• Cebu
• Northern Bohol
• Southern Leyte
• Dinagat Islands