Bicol, Northern Samar face torrential rain as Kristine becomes tropical storm

MANILA, Philippines, October 22 ------ Kristine intensified from a tropical depression into a tropical storm over the Philippine Sea early Tuesday, October 22, bringing intense to torrential rain to much of Bicol and Northern Samar. In a briefing past 5 am on Tuesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Kristine’s maximum sustained winds increased from 55 kilometers per hour to 65 km/h. Its gustiness is now up to 80 km/h from the previous 70 km/h. 

PAGASA added that Kristine may strengthen further into a severe tropical storm on Wednesday, October 23, and make landfall as a severe tropical storm. It might reach typhoon category only on Friday, October 25, “as it emerges over the West Philippine Sea.” Rapid intensification, however, remains a possibility. 

Kristine was located 390 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes, as of 4 am on Tuesday. It slowed down, moving west at 15 km/h from 25 km/h. The tropical cyclone is now projected to make landfall in the province of Isabela on Wednesday evening, though PAGASA is still not ruling out changes in its forecast track. 

Below is PAGASA’s latest three-day rainfall forecast for Kristine, which covers more areas in Luzon and the Visayas, including Metro Manila. The capital region is likely to have moderate to heavy rain on Thursday, October 24. 

Tuesday, October 22 

• Intense to torrential rain (more than 200 millimeters): Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Northern Samar 

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Masbate, Samar, Eastern Samar, Quezon 

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, rest of Visayas 

Wednesday, October 23 

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Aurora, Quezon 

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): rest of Central Luzon, Bicol, Ilocos Region, Laguna, Rizal 

Thursday, October 24 

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley 

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Metro Manila 

Areas affected by the tropical storm must stay on alert for floods and landslides. 

Signal No. 1 is also in effect for additional areas as of 5 am on Tuesday: 

• eastern and central parts of mainland Cagayan (Piat, Santo Niño, Camalaniugan, Tuao, Lal-lo, Enrile, Gonzaga, Alcala, Amulung, Santa Teresita, Baggao, Buguey, Solana, Rizal, Santa Ana, Tuguegarao City, Gattaran, Peñablanca, Iguig, Lasam, Aparri, Allacapan) 

• Isabela 

• Quirino 

• southern part of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castañeda) 

• Aurora 

• eastern part of Rizal (Tanay, Pililla, Jalajala) 

• eastern part of Laguna (Majayjay, Magdalena, Pila, Santa Cruz, Pagsanjan, Luisiana, Cavinti, Lumban, Kalayaan, Paete, Pakil, Pangil, Siniloan, Famy, Santa Maria, Mabitac, Nagcarlan, Liliw) 

• northern and eastern parts of Quezon (Tagkawayan, Guinayangan, Buenavista, San Narciso, San Andres, General Nakar, Pitogo, San Francisco, Calauag, Pagbilao, Infanta, Lopez, Catanauan, Mulanay, Unisan, General Luna, Plaridel, Quezon, Alabat, Sampaloc, Padre Burgos, Macalelon, Mauban, Perez, Agdangan, Gumaca, Atimonan, Real, Lucena City, Lucban, Tayabas City) including Polillo Islands 

• Marinduque 

• Romblon 

• Camarines Norte 

• Camarines Sur 

• Catanduanes 

• Albay 

• Sorsogon 

• Masbate including Ticao Island and Burias Island 

• Eastern Samar 

• Northern Samar 

• Samar 

• Leyte 

• Biliran 

• Southern Leyte 

• Dinagat Islands 

• Surigao del Norte including Siargao-Bucas Grande Group 

PAGASA maintained that the highest tropical cyclone wind signal due to Kristine could still be Signal No. 4, “considering the possibility of rapid intensification.” For coastal waters on Tuesday, up to very rough seas are expected in the seaboard of Isabela as well as northern and eastern seaboards of Bicol (waves up to 6.5 meters high); seaboards of Batanes, Cagayan, and Aurora, as well as northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar (waves up to 5.5 meters high); and seaboards of Polillo Islands, northern seaboard of Ilocos Norte, remaining seaboards of Bicol, western seaboard of Northern Samar, northern seaboard of Biliran, and seaboard of the northern part of Samar (waves up to 4.5 meters high). Travel is risky for all vessels. Up to rough seas are seen in the western seaboard of Ilocos Norte (waves up to 4 meters high); remaining seaboards of Northern Luzon as well as seaboards of Southern Leyte, Bohol, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Norte (waves up to 3.5 meters high); and southern seaboards of Palawan, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor, as well as eastern seaboard of the Davao Region and eastern seaboard of mainland Quezon (waves up to 3 meters high). Small vessels should not venture out to sea. 

Source: rappler.com