Ruby heads toward Masbate; NCR under Signal No. 1

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MANILA, Philippines – After making its first landfall in Dolores, Eastern Samar, Typhoon Ruby (international name: Hagupit) is now headed toward Masbate, state weather bureau PAGASA said. 

As of 10 pm Saturday, December 6, the eye of the typhoon was located in the vicinity of Dolores, Eastern Samar, or at 140 km east southeast of Catarman, Northern Samar.

Ruby made landfall in Dolores at 9:15 pm Saturday, but it started battering Eastern Samar around 8 pm as its eyewall – the strongest part of the typhoon – hit the area.

The typhoon is associated with strong winds and storm surges of up to 4.5 meters as it makes landfall, the bureau added. 

PAGASA said Ruby will make its 2nd landfall in the vicinity of Masbate on Sunday afternoon, December 7.

It was earlier reported that Ruby wil hit land in 5 other areas after its first landfall:

• Masbate – between 8 and 10 am, December 7
• Sibuyan Island – between 2 and 4 pm, December 7
• Romblon Island – between 5 and 7 pm, December 7
• Tablas Island – between 8 and 10 pm, December 7
• Oriental Mindoro – between 5 and 7 am, December 8

Ruby has maintained strength, with maximum sustained winds of 175 km/h near the center, and gustiness of up to 210 km/h.

It is now moving west northwest and has slowed down a bit at 15 km/h, with heavy to torrential rainfall (10 to 30 mm/h) expected within its 600-km diameter.

More areas are now under public storm warning signals. Signal Number 3 – with winds between 101-185 km/h in at least 18 hours – has been hoisted over 11 areas:

• Romblon
• Catanduanes
• Camarines Sur
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Burias and Ticao Island
• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Leyte
• Biliran

Storm Signal Number 2 has been raised over 12 areas, which can expect winds between 61 to 100 km/h in at least 24 hours:

• Camarines Norte
• Southern Quezon
• Marinduque
• Oriental Mindoro
• Occidental Mindoro
• Northern Antique
• Aklan
• Semirara Grp. of Islands
• Capiz
• Northern Iloilo
• Northern Cebu including Cebu City, Bantayan and Camotes Island
• Southern Leyte

PAGASA also raised Signal Number 1 (with winds between 30 to 60 km/h in at least 36 hours) over 18 areas:

• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Rest of Quezon
• Rizal
• Cavite
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Lubang Island
• Calamian Group of Islands
• Cuyo
• Metro Manila
• Rest of Antique
• Rest of Iloilo
• Guimaras
• Negros Occidental
• Negros Oriental
• Rest of Cebu
• Bohol

PAGASA warned residents in low-lying and mountainous areas against flashfloods and landslides.

Ruby is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Tuesday evening, December 9.

“Ruby and the Northeast Monsoon will bring rough to very rough sea conditions over the seaboards of Northern Luzon, eastern seaboard of Central and Southern Luzon, seaboards of Visayas and over northern and eastern seaboards of Mindanao,” the bureau said. 

The next bulletin on Typhoon Ruby will be released at 5 am Sunday, December 7. – Rappler.com

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