MANILA, Philippines — At least six provinces in Mindanao are under Signal No. 2 due to ‘Basyang,’ which has intensified into a tropical storm, the national weather bureau said on Thursday.
Areas under storm signals include Surigao del Norte, particularly Siargao–Bucas Grande Islands, Surigao del Sur, the extreme northern portion of Davao Oriental, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Misamis Oriental, the northern portion of Bukidnon, and Camiguin.
In its 5 a.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Signal No. 1 was up over the southern portion of Eastern Samar, the southern portion of Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Iloilo, Capiz, the southern portion of Aklan, and the central and southern portions of Antique in the Visayas.
In Mindanao, same storm signal was raised over Dinagat Islands, the northern and central portions of Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, the northern portion of Davao del Sur, the rest of Bukidnon, the northern portion of Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, the northern portion of Maguindanao del Norte, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, the eastern and central portions of Zamboanga del Norte, the northern and central portions of Zamboanga del Sur, and the northern portion of Zamboanga Sibugay, the weather agency said.
Estimated to be 440 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, Storm Basyang was moving west-southwestward at 15 kilometers per hour (kph) while packing maximum sustained winds of 65kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80kph.
Pagasa administrator Nathaniel Servando said that Basyang, based on its forecast track, will make its initial landfall over Surigao del Sur between tonight and early Friday morning.
“After crossing Mindanao, it is likely to emerge over Bohol Sea on Friday morning, pass close to Siquijor, and may pass close or make another landfall over the southern portion of Negros Oriental by Friday afternoon,” Servando said.
Likely to intensify before its initial landfall, Basyang will then slightly weaken as it interacts with the landmass, but it will likely remain a tropical storm, according to the Pagasa chief.
Further weakening into a tropical depression is forecast by Saturday, and it will be downgraded to a low-pressure area by Monday, he added.
Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon would be experiencing partly cloudy to overcast skies with isolated light rains due to the northeast monsoon, locally known as ‘amihan,” the state-run weather agency said.
