MANILA, Philippines – Severe Tropical Storm Paeng (Nalgae) made its first landfall in Virac, Catanduanes, at 1:10 am on Saturday, October 29, followed by another landfall in Caramoan, Camarines Sur, at 1:40 am.

As of 4 am, Paeng was already in the vicinity of Siruma, Camarines Sur, still moving west northwest at a relatively fast 30 kilometers per hour (km/h).

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in a briefing past 5 am that Paeng is expected to continue moving west northwest across Luzon until Sunday, October 30.

It is projected to cross Bicol until Saturday noon, then the Calabarzon-Metro Manila-southern Central Luzon area early Saturday afternoon until early Sunday morning.

Paeng maintained its strength before dawn on Saturday, with maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h. But its gustiness increased from 130 km/h to 160 km/h.

PAGASA also said Paeng’s interaction with landmass may cause it to weaken into a tropical storm within 24 hours or earlier. It may re-intensify into a severe tropical storm, however, once it reaches the West Philippine Sea.

The weather bureau updated its rainfall forecast for Paeng as of 5 am on Saturday, still warning of widespread floods and landslides.

Until Saturday morning, October 29

Heavy to intense rain, with at times torrential rain

• Bicol
• Quezon including Polillo Islands
• Marinduque
• Romblon
• Occidental Mindoro
• Oriental Mindoro
• northern part of Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo Islands
• Aklan
• Antique
• Capiz
• Iloilo
• Guimaras

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• Metro Manila
• rest of Calabarzon
• eastern part of mainland Cagayan Valley
• Aurora
• Bulacan
• rest of Palawan
• Negros Occidental
• Northern Samar

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• Cordillera Administrative Region
• rest of Cagayan Valley
• rest of Central Luzon
• rest of Visayas
• Zamboanga Peninsula

Saturday morning to evening, October 29

Heavy to intense rain, with at times torrential rain

• Metro Manila
• Calabarzon
• Marinduque
• Romblon
• Occidental Mindoro
• Oriental Mindoro
• northern part of Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo Islands

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• mainland Cagayan Valley
• Cordillera Administrative Region
• Aurora
• Nueva Ecija
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Bataan
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Western Visayas

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• Ilocos Region
• rest of Central Luzon
• rest of Bicol
• rest of Visayas

Saturday evening, October 29, to Sunday morning, October 30

Heavy to intense rain, with at times torrential rain

• Metro Manila
• Zambales
• Bataan
• Tarlac
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Rizal
• Laguna
• Cavite
• Batangas

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• mainland Cagayan Valley
• Cordillera Administrative Region
• Quezon including Polillo Islands
• Marinduque
• Occidental Mindoro
• Oriental Mindoro
• rest of Central Luzon
• Western Visayas

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• Ilocos Region
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Romblon
• northern part of Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo Islands

Below are the areas where tropical cyclone wind signals remain raised as of 5 am on Saturday.

Signal No. 3

Storm-force winds (89 to 117 km/h), moderate to significant threat to life and property

• Camarines Norte
• northern part of Camarines Sur (Ragay, Lupi, Sipocot, Libmanan, Cabusao, Magarao, Calabanga, Tinambac, Siruma, Goa, Tigaon, San Jose, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Presentacion, Caramoan, Saglay, Ocampo, Pili, Bombon, Naga City, Del Gallego, Canaman, Camaligan, Milaor, Gainza, Pamplona)
• northern and eastern parts of Quezon (Tagkawayan, Guinayangan, Calauag, Quezon, Lopez, Gumaca, Plaridel, Atimonan, Mauban, Perez, Alabat, Real, Infanta, General Nakar, Sampaloc) including Polillo Islands

Signal No. 2

Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property

• Albay
• Sorsogon
• northern and western parts of Masbate (Masbate City, Mobo, Aroroy, Baleno, Mandaon, Milagros, Uson, Balud, Dimasalang) including Ticao and Burias Islands
• rest of Camarines Sur
• Marinduque
• rest of Quezon
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Cavite
• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• Bulacan
• southern part of Aurora (San Luis, Baler, Dingalan, Maria Aurora)
• central and southern parts of Nueva Ecija (Gapan City, San Leonardo, Santo Domingo, Rizal, San Isidro, Laur, Zaragoza, Llanera, Aliaga, Palayan City, Gabaldon, General Mamerto Natividad, Cabanatuan City, Quezon, San Antonio, General Tinio, Santa Rosa, Peñaranda, Jaen, Licab, Bongabon, Cabiao, Talavera, Science City of Muñoz, Talugtug, Cuyapo, Guimba, Nampicuan, San Jose City)
• Tarlac
• Pampanga
• Bataan
• Zambales
• southern part of Pangasinan (Bautista, Bayambang, Mangatarem, Urbiztondo, Aguilar, Infanta)
• northern and central parts of Oriental Mindoro (Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, Baco, Calapan City, Naujan, Victoria, Pola, Socorro, Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas)
• northern and central parts of Occidental Mindoro (Sablayan, Santa Cruz, Mamburao, Abra de Ilog, Paluan) including Lubang Islands
• Romblon
• western part of Northern Samar (Capul, San Vicente, San Antonio, Allen, Lavezares, Biri, Victoria, Rosario, San Isidro, San Jose)

Signal No. 1

Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property

• Isabela
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino
• Kalinga
• Ifugao
• Mountain Province
• Benguet
• Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• rest of Aurora
• rest of Nueva Ecija
• rest of Pangasinan
• rest of Oriental Mindoro
• rest of Occidental Mindoro
• northern part of Palawan (El Nido, Taytay, Dumaran, Araceli) including Calamian and Cuyo Islands
• rest of Masbate
• rest of Northern Samar
• Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands
• Bohol
• Negros Occidental
• Negros Oriental
• Guimaras
• Aklan
• Antique
• Capiz
• Iloilo
• Siquijor
• rest of Leyte
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands
• Camiguin

Meanwhile, the surge of the northeast monsoon or hanging amihan enhanced by Paeng is bringing strong winds to these areas:

• Batanes
• Babuyan Islands
• northern and eastern parts of mainland Cagayan
• Ilocos Norte
• northern part of Apayao

PAGASA also warned that there is a minimal to moderate risk of storm surges up to 2 meters high, which may cause floods in the “low-lying and exposed coastal areas” of the following:

• mainland Bicol
• Catanduanes
• Aurora
• Quezon including Polillo Islands
• Marinduque
• northern part of Masbate including Ticao Island and Burias Island
• eastern part of Batangas

Paeng continues to affect the country’s coastal waters as well. PAGASA issued a new gale warning at 5 am on Saturday, covering the following seaboards:

• seaboards of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon and eastern seaboard of Visayas (Aurora, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Quezon including Polillo Islands, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate including Burias Island and Ticao Island, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar) – very rough to high seas, waves 4.5 to 8 meters high
• seaboards of Northern Luzon (Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan) – very rough seas, waves 4.5 to 6 meters high
• seaboards of Visayas and Palawan (Aklan, Antique. Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Palawan including Calamian, Cuyo, Kalayaan Islands) – rough to very rough seas, waves 3.1 to 5.5 meters high
• eastern seaboards of Mindanao (Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Sur, eastern coast of Davao Oriental) – rough to very rough seas, waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high

“Rough to high sea conditions are risky for all types of sea vessels. Mariners are advised to remain in port or take shelter in port until winds and waves subside,” PAGASA said.

Paeng is the Philippines’ 16th tropical cyclone for 2022 and the fourth for October. PAGASA earlier said there may be up to four tropical cyclones during the month.

There may be a fifth tropical cyclone in October, however, as the low pressure area outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) just developed into a tropical depression.

The tropical depression was located 1,485 kilometers east of Mindanao before dawn on Saturday, moving west at 35 km/h.

It has maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h and gustiness of up to 55 km/h.

PAGASA Weather Specialist Benison Estareja said the tropical depression may enter PAR on Monday, October 31. If it does, it would be given the local name Queenie.

Further updates are expected in the coming days. – Rappler.com