Typhoon ‘Pepito’ further intensified late Friday, as it kept moving west northwestward over the Philippine Sea east of Eastern Visayas, with state weather bureau PAGASA warning of serious environmental hazards at its peak.
Forecasters maintained their earlier advisory to affected local government units (LGUs) and the general public that this tropical cyclone may reach super typhoon category prior to its landfall this weekend.
“It must be emphasized that heavy rainfall, severe winds, and storm surge may still be experienced in localities outside the landfall point and the forecast confidence cone,” PAGASA said, noting that the typhoon’s track may still shift.
‘Pepito’ is expected to slam over the eastern coast of Bicol likely in the vicinity of Camarines Sur, Albay or Sorsogon this Saturday. It may also land over the eastern coast of Northern Samar later and along the eastern coast of Quezon Province or Aurora by Sunday.
The latest typhoon was last monitored at 305 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar. It had maximum sustained winds of 155 km per hour near the center and gusts of up to 190 km/h. Weather in the affected areas may likely improve by Monday.
Meanwhile, weather disturbance ‘Ofel’ re-entered the Philippines as a tropical storm. It was located at 220 km west northwest of Itbayat, Batanes as of 11:00 p.m. on Friday. It was packing winds measuring 85 km/h near the center and gusts of up to 105 km/h.
PAGASA has lifted all tropical cyclone wind signals (TCWS) associated with ‘Ofel’ but issued Signal No. 2 over the following areas ‘Pepito:’
- LUZON—The northern and eastern portions of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Siruma, Tinambac, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Presentacion, San Jose, Goa, Sagñay, Tigaon), Catanduanes, the eastern portion of Albay (Bacacay, City of Tabaco, Rapu-Rapu, Malilipot, Santo Domingo, Malinao, Tiwi, Manito), the eastern portion of Sorsogon (City of Sorsogon, Gubat, Prieto Diaz, Barcelona, Casiguran, Bulusan)
- VISAYAS— The northern and eastern portions of Northern Samar (Mapanas, Gamay, Palapag, Lapinig, Silvino Lobos, Laoang, Catubig, Las Navas, Pambujan, Mondragon, San Roque, Catarman, Lope de Vega, Biri, San Jose, Bobon, Rosario, Lavezares), the northern portion of Eastern Samar (Arteche, Oras, San Policarpo, Dolores, Jipapad, Maslog, Can-Avid, Taft), and the northeastern portion of Samar (San Jose de Buan, Matuguinao)
The following localities, meanwhile, are placed under TCWS No. 1:
- LUZON— The southern and eastern portions of Isabela (Dinapigue, Palanan, San Mariano, San Guillermo, Jones, Echague, San Agustin, Angadanan, Benito Soliven, City of Cauayan, City of Santiago, San Isidro, Alicia, Naguilian), Quirino, the eastern and southern portions of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castañeda, Kasibu, Dupax del Norte, Dupax del Sur), Aurora, the eastern portion of Nueva Ecija (Pantabangan, Rizal, Bongabon, General Mamerto Natividad, Palayan City, General Tinio, Gabaldon, Laur, Peñaranda, Cabanatuan City, Santa Rosa, San Leonardo, City of Gapan), the eastern portion of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Miguel, Norzagaray, City of San Jose del Monte, San Ildefonso, San Rafael, Baliuag, Bustos, Santa Maria, Bocaue, Marilao, City of Meycauayan, Obando, Balagtas, Angat, Pandi), Metro Manila, Laguna, Rizal, Quezon, Marinduque, Camarines Norte, the rest of Camarines Sur, the rest of Albay, the rest of Sorsogon, and Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands
- VISAYAS— The rest of Northern Samar, the rest of Eastern Samar, the rest of Samar, Biliran, and the northeastern portion of Leyte (Barugo, San Miguel, Babatngon, Tacloban City)
