Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 17) — Rains will prevail in several regions across the country as Tropical Depression Tino makes its landfall in Palawan on Friday, the state weather bureau said.
Tino is expected to make landfall in Palawan tonight, the the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 5 p.m. weather bulletin.
Storm signal no. 1 is raised over Palawan. Over a hundred passengers and three vessels were stranded in the province’s ports on Friday as PAGASA warned against sea travel, the Office of Civil Defense in MIMAROPA region said. Classes in all levels were suspended in the town of Culion there, as well as preschool level in Puerto Princesa City, the provincial capital.
Tino was a low pressure area that developed into a tropical storm Friday morning. It has since maintained its strength with winds of up to 55 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 90 kph as it moves west northwest at a speed of 28 kph, PAGASA said. Flashfloods and landslides are also possible, it added.
Tino was last spotted 65 kilometers east of Puerto Princesa City at 4 p.m. It is expected leave the country by Saturday morning.
The storm has brought light to heavy rains in Palawan and the rest of the MIMAROPA region, which includes Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, the Office of Civil Defense said.
Light to moderate rains are also expected over the Visayas region, Bicol region (Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon), and the provinces of Mindoro, Marinduque, and Romblon, PAGASA said.
In Oriental Mindoro, heavy rain early Friday led to up to one-meter-deep floods in Barangays Poblacion, Del Mundo, Teresita, Don Pedro, and Manaul in the town of Mansalay. Nearly 100 residents were evacuated in Barangay Poblacion.
The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in MIMAROPA is on blue alert status. This means officials from various government agencies, as well as local units of the police and military, should report to their assignments in round-the-clock shifts in preparation for a calamity.
Domestic flights were canceled on Friday due to bad weather, including those going to Legazpi, Albay; Virac, Catanduanes; Masbate; and Busuanga in Palawan.
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