Metro Manila, Philippines – More areas were placed under Signal No. 2 due to Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-wong) on Saturday noon, Nov. 8, with the state weather bureau PAGASA warning of “life-threatening and damaging” storm surges.
In its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said “Uwan” may become a super typhoon on Saturday evening or Sunday, but a much faster intensification was not ruled out before hitting land.
“The interaction with the terrain will cause ‘Uwan’ to weaken, but it is expected to remain as a typhoon throughout its passage over Northern Luzon and West Philippine Sea,” it said.
The bureau raised Signal No. 2 Catanduanes, the eastern portion of Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, and Ticao Islands in Luzon, as well as Northern Samar, the northern portion of Samar, and the northern portion of Eastern Samar in Visayas.
Signal No. 1 was hoisted in the following areas:
Luzon – Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Camarines Norte, the rest of Camarines Sur, the rest of Masbate including Burias Island, Marinduque, Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands, Calamian Islands, and Cuyo Islands.
Visayas – The rest of Samar, the rest of Eastern Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, the northeastern portion of Bohol, the northern and central portions of Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands, the northern portion of Negros Occidental, the northern and central portions of Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan and the northern and central portions of Antique including Caluya Islands.
Mindanao – Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte.
“Uwan” was last seen 760 kilometers (km) east of Catarman, Northern Samar, packing maximum sustained winds of 140 km per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 170 kph.
PAGASA warned of a “high risk of life-threatening and damaging storm surge” of more than 3 meters within the next 48 hours over the low-lying or exposed coastal communities of Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Aurora, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands, and Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands.
Heavy rainfall
PAGASA said Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, and Albay may experience up to torrential rains from Saturday to Sunday noon.
It said Quezon, Marinduque, Masbate, Sorsogon, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar may have heavy to intense rains.
Moderate to heavy rains are forecast in Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Romblon, Samar, and Biliran.
From Sunday noon to Monday noon, the bureau warned that intense to torrential rains or more than 200 millimeters of rainfall may be dumped in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, and Zambales.
Landfall
In the latest forecast, PAGASA said the center eye of “Uwan” may pass close to Catanduanes on Sunday morning.
It may hit land in southern Isabela or northern Aurora on Sunday evening or Monday.
“Furthermore, there is also an increasing possibility of a slight southward shift in the projected path of ‘Uwan,’ which may result [in] a direct hit (i.e., eyewall affecting the area without making landfall) or a landfall scenario over Catanduanes,” PAGASA said.
