12 Vis-Min areas now under Signal No. 1

MANILA, Philippines – State weather bureau Pagasa has placed 12 provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao under Signal Number 1 because of typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), according to its 11 pm bulletin. 

“The typhoon east of Mindanao is about to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and will be named “Yolanda,” read the 11 pm bulletin. 

The Visayas provinces are:

• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• Biliran Island
• Camotes Island

The Mindanao provinces are:

• Surigao del Norte, including Siargao Island
• Dinagat Island
• Surigao del Sur
• Agusan del Norte
• northern part of Agusan del Sur

As of 12 am Thursday, November 7, the eye of the typhoon was located at 943 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. It packed maximum sustained winds of 195 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 230 kph. It is moving west northwest at 30 kph.

A little past midnight, moderate to occasional heavy rains were already affecting the provinces of Surigao Del Norte, Surigao Del Sur, Agusan Del Norte, Zamboanga City, and Basilan. 

The 12 areas will expect in the next 36 hours 30-60 kph winds, according to the bulletin. These winds may cause twigs and branches of trees to be broken, banana plants to tilt or land flat on the ground, rice in flowering stage to suffer significant damage, and nipa and cogon houses to be partially unroofed.

Sea travel is risky for small seacrafts and fishing boats over the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon and Eastern Visayas. 

Typhoon Yolanda is expected to move 55 kilometers to southeast area of Romblon Island by Friday evening, November 8, and 527 kilometers West Northwest of Coron, Palawan, by Saturday evening. 

The next bulletin will be issued 5 am Thursday, November 7. – Rappler.com