Severe Tropical Storm Vinta moves over Compostela Valley

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MANILA, Philippines – Severe Tropical Storm Vinta (Tembin) continued to cross the Davao Region early Friday morning, December 22, following its landfall in Cateel, Davao Oriental at 1:45 am. (READ: Nearly 16,000 evacuate as Vinta hits Davao Oriental)

In a bulletin issued 8 am, state weather bureau PAGASA said Vinta is already in the vicinity of Laak, Compostela Valley, still moving west at 20 kilometers per hour (km/h).

The severe tropical storm has maximum winds of 90 km/h and gustiness of up to 155 km/h. (READ: EXPLAINER: How tropical cyclones form)

Signal number 2 is raised in:

• southern Surigao del Sur
• northern Davao Oriental
• Agusan del Sur
• Compostela Valley
• Davao del Norte
• northern Davao del Sur (Davao City)
• North Cotabato
• Misamis Oriental
• Misamis Occidental
• Bukidnon
• Lanao del Norte
• Lanao del Sur
• Zamboanga del Norte
• Zamboanga del Sur
• Zamboanga Sibugay

Signal number 1, meanwhile, is up over:

• Southern Leyte
• Bohol
• southern Cebu
• Negros Oriental
• southern Negros Occidental
• Siquijor
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte
• northern Surigao del Sur
• Agusan del Norte
• Camiguin
• southern Davao Oriental
• southern Davao del Sur
• Maguindanao
• Sultan Kudarat
• Basilan

PAGASA also warned that scattered to widespread rains will continue in the Visayas and Mindanao within the next 24 hours. Residents of these areas should be on alert for possible flash floods and landslides. (READ: What are the hazard-prone areas along Vinta’s path?)

Sea travel is also risky in areas under signal numbers 1 and 2. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

PAGASA earlier warned the public to take Vinta seriously, saying they should prepare and closely monitor updates.

The severe tropical storm is still expected to cross Caraga, Northern Mindanao, the Zamboanga Peninsula, and southern Palawan.

It will then leave PAR on Christmas Eve, December 24.

Eastern Visayas is still reeling from the damage wrought by Tropical Depression Urduja (Kai-tak), which battered the region as a tropical storm. National disaster management authorities said 45 people were killed and 46 others remain missing. Urduja left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) last Tuesday, December 19.

Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon will bring scattered rain to Luzon, but PAGASA said there will be “no significant impact.” – Rappler.com