Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 14) — More areas in southern Luzon and Visayas are under signal number 1 on Thursday as tropical depression Urduja slowly moves toward Eastern Samar, prompting the coast guard to cancel some ferry trips.
Urduja was 140 kilometers east of the town of Guiuan, Eastern Samar. It has winds of up to 55 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts as strong as 65 kph, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in its 8 a.m. update.
Urduja is expected to make landfall over Eastern Samar late Thursday or early Friday. The tropical depression may strengthen into a tropical storm as it moves over the Leyte Gulf and approaches Samar, weather forecasters said earlier.
The following areas are under signal number 1:
In Luzon:
Albay
Biliran
Camarines Sur
Catanduanes
Masbate
Romblon
Sorsogon
In the Visayas:
Aklan
Bantayan Island
Northern Cebu
Capiz
Leyte
Southern Leyte
Northern Iloilo
Eastern Samar
Northern Samar
Samar
The tropical depression has slightly accelerated as it moves west at 10 kph from 8 kph, PAGASA added.
Storm signal no. 1 indicates suspension of classes in pre-school and kindergarten levels. Some local governments have suspended classes on Thursday as they begin to feel the storm’s effects.
READ: #WalangPasok: Class suspensions on December 14, Thursday
Scattered to widespread rains are expected over the Visayas and the regions of Bicol, Caraga, and Northern Mindanao in the next 24 hours, PAGASA said.
Residents in these areas are also alerted against possible flash floods and landslides. Fishermen and small seacraft are warned against sailing off the coast of the Bicol region and Eastern Visayas due to rough seas brought about by the coming tropical depression.
The Philippine Coast Guard on early Thursday suspended all vessel trips to and from Ormoc, Leyte, as well as the Cebu-Ormoc route.
The cancellation left 249 passengers stranded, and 49 rolling cargo and 1 vessel grounded in the ports of Looc, San Isidro, and Jubusan in Northern Samar; and Matnog, in Sorsogon, the PCG said.
