Eastern Visayas still ‘in danger’ due to Urduja

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MANILA, Philippines – State weather bureau PAGASA warned that Eastern Visayas, particularly the Samar provinces, are still “in danger” as Tropical Storm Urduja (Kai-tak) continues to move slowly.

In a bulletin issued 11 am on Friday, December 15, PAGASA said Urduja is already 240 kilometers east of Borongan, Eastern Samar, heading northwest at just 5 kilometers per hour (km/h).

The tropical storm continues to have maximum winds of 75 km/h and gustiness of up to 90 km/h. (READ: EXPLAINER: How tropical cyclones form)

Due to Urduja’s extremely slow movement, its expected landfall in the Eastern Samar-Northern Samar area has been pushed back to either Saturday morning or afternoon, December 16.

Signal number 2 remains raised over:

• Eastern Samar
• Northern Samar
• Samar
• Biliran

Signal number 1, meanwhile, is still up in:

• Catanduanes
• Camarines Sur
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands
• Romblon
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• northern Cebu
• Capiz
• Aklan
• northern Iloilo
• Dinagat Islands

PAGASA warned that Urduja is bringing moderate to heavy rain within its 500-kilometer diameter. Floods and landslides have been reported.

Residents of provinces in the tropical storm’s path “must undertake appropriate measures against flooding and landslides and coordinate with their respective local government and disaster risk reduction and management offices,” said PAGASA. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

Sea travel also remains risky in the eastern seaboards of Bicol and the Visayas. Thousands of passengers were stranded in various ports on Thursday.

Classes have been suspended in some areas on Friday. (READ: #WalangPasok: Class suspensions, Friday, December 15) – Rappler.com