5 areas under Signal No. 2 due to Typhoon Rosita

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MANILA, Philippines – Five areas were placed under Signal No. 2 before dawn on Monday, October 29, as Typhoon Rosita (Yutu) continued moving toward Northern Luzon.

In a bulletin issued 5 am on Monday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Rosita is already 540 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. It is moving west southwest at a slightly slower 15 kilometers per hour (km/h) from the previous 20 km/h.

The typhoon slightly weakened again, but it continues to pose a threat. It now has maximum winds of 170 km/h from the previous 180 km/h and gustiness of up to 210 km/h from the previous 220 km/h. Its diameter is also smaller, from 700 kilometers to 600 kilometers, though this is still considered wide.

Signal No. 2 is now raised in:

• Cagayan
• Isabela
• Aurora
• Quirino
• Polillo Island

Signal No. 1, meanwhile, is up in:

• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• Pangasinan
• Abra
• Apayao
• Benguet
• Ifugao
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Batanes
• Babuyan Group of Islands
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Nueva Ecija
• Pampanga
• Tarlac
• northern part of Quezon
• Rizal
• Bulacan
• Metro Manila
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Bataan
• Zambales
• Cavite
• Camarines Norte

Moderate to heavy rain and strong to very strong winds are expected to begin hitting Northern Luzon and Central Luzon on Monday. (READ: #WalangPasok: Class suspensions, Monday, October 29)

On Tuesday morning, October 30, Rosita could make landfall in the Isabela-Aurora area. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

PAGASA warned that flash floods and landslides are possible in areas in the typhoon’s path. There might also be storm surges in coastal areas of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Cagayan, Isabela, and Aurora. (READ: Cagayan braces for Typhoon Rosita a month after Ompong)

Sea travel is also risky in the seaboards of areas under tropical cyclone warning signals, as well as in the eastern seaboards of Southern Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

A gale warning was issued at 5 am on Monday for Batanes, the Babuyan Group of Islands, Calayan, Cagayan, Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Aurora, Zambales, Bataan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, the eastern coast of Albay, the eastern coast of Sorsogon, the eastern coast of Quezon including Polillo Island, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Surigao, Siargao, and Dinagat Islands.

Seas off those areas are rough to very rough, with wave heights reaching 2.6 meters to 4.5 meters.

PAGASA advised fishermen and others with small vessels not to set sail in areas covered by the gale warning. Larger vessels should watch out for big waves.

Based on Rosita’s latest forecast track, it will leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday, October 31.

Rosita is the Philippines’ 18th tropical cyclone for 2018. The country usually gets an average of 20 tropical cyclones per year. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2018)

PAGASA declared the start of the rainy season last June 8. – Rappler.com