Signal No. 2 up in 8 areas due to ‘Ramil’

Metro Manila, Philippines - Eight areas in Luzon and Visayas were placed under Signal No. 2 as Tropical Storm Ramil (international name: Fengshen) was seen almost stationary off Northern Samar, the state weather bureau said on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 18.

In its 2 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said “Ramil,” which has slightly weakened, may hit Catanduanes Saturday afternoon or evening and Camarines Sur on Saturday evening or Sunday.

“Based on the observed movement of ‘Ramil,’ the possibility of landfall over Albay or Sorsogon is increasing,” according to the forecast.

PAGASA weather specialist Leanne Loreto also said “Ramil” may also make a close approach or landfall over Polillo Islands, Aurora, or Quezon by Sunday either as a tropical storm or a severe tropical storm.

Heavy rainfall is expected in large portions of the country, while 100 to 200 millimeters of rain may be dumped on Saturday over Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar.

Here are the storm signals as of Saturday morning:

Signal No. 2

Luzon - The northern portion of Aurora, Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, the northern portion of Camarines Sur, the extreme eastern portion of Albay, and the northeastern portion of Sorsogon

Visayas - The northeastern portion of Northern Samar

Signal No. 1

Luzon - Ilocos region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, the rest of Aurora, Nueva Ecija, the eastern portion of Bulacan, the eastern portion of Tarlac, the eastern portion of Pampanga, the northern and eastern portions of Quezon, the rest of Camarines Sur, the rest of Albay, the rest of Sorsogon, Burias Island, and Ticao Island

Visayas - Northern Samar, the northern portion of Eastern Samar, and the northern portion of Samar

PAGASA said “Ramil” was last seen over the coastal waters of Laoang, Northern Samar, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 90 kph.

It forecast the storm to cross the mountainous northern Luzon before leaving the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Monday morning.