The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) maintained tropical cyclone wind signal no. 1 in areas affected by tropical depression ‘Verbena,’ which kept moving northwest and is now over Negros Oriental.
As of 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, PAGASA said the storm was in the vicinity of Canlaon City, Negros Oriental. It was moving at 20 kilometers per hour (kph) with maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Monday warned residents near Mount Kanlaon of possible lahar due to heavy to intense rains brought by the latest cyclone. Negros Oriental is among the several provinces in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao under Signal No. 1.
“’Verbena’ will likely continue crossing Visayas as a tropical depression. It may reach tropical storm category either before reaching northern Palawan or once over the West Philippine Sea,” PAGASA said in its advisory.
The state weather bureau that this cyclone may peak at severe tropical storm category while in the middle of the West Philippine Sea north of Kalayaan Islands. It is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility by Thursday, November 27.
As of this posting, Signal No. 1 is raised over the following areas:
LUZON
Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, the northern and central portions of Palawan (Araceli, Taytay, El Nido, Dumaran, Roxas, San Vicente, Puerto Princesa City) including Calamian, Cuyo, and Cagayancillo Islands, and mainland Masbate (Balud, Mandaon, Milagros, Cawayan, Placer, Pio V. Corpuz, Esperanza, Uson, Dimasalang, City of Masbate, Mobo, Palanas, Aroroy, Cataingan, Baleno)
VISAYAS
Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Cebu, Bohol, Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran, Leyte, and Southern Leyte
MINDANAO
Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, the northern portion of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza, Cortes, San Miguel, City of Tandag, Tago), Agusan del Norte, the northeastern portion of Agusan del Sur (Sibagat), Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, the northern portion of Misamis Occidental (Sapang Dalaga, Calamba, Baliangao, Plaridel, Lopez Jaena, Oroquieta City, Aloran, Panaon, Jimenez, Concepcion), and the northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte (Jose Dalman, Manukan, Pres. Manuel A. Roxas, Katipunan, Dipolog City, Polanco, Piñan, Dapitan City, La Libertad, Sibutad, Rizal, Mutia)
