MANILA, PHilippines — More areas in Visayas have been placed under Signal No. 2 as Typhoon “Pepito” continues to intensify rapidly prior to its possible landfall, the state-run weather agency said on Friday.
Affected areas include the eastern portion of Northern Samar (Mapanas, Gamay, Palapag, Lapinig, Silvino Lobos, Laoang, Catubig, Las Navas, Pambujan, Mondragon, San Roque, Catarman and Lope de Vega), the northern portion of Eastern Samar (Arteche, Oras, San Policarpo, Dolores, Jipapad, Maslog and Can-Avid), and the northeastern portion of Samar (San Jose de Buan and Matuguinao).
Under Signal No. 1 in Luzon are are Aurora, Quezon, the eastern portion of Laguna (Santa Maria, Famy, Siniloan, Pangil, Mabitac, Pakil, Paete, Kalayaan, Lumban, Cavinti, Luisiana, Pagsanjan, Santa Cruz, Magdalena, Majayjay, Liliw, Nagcarlan, San Pablo City and Rizal), Marinduque, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon and Masbate.
Signal No. 1 is also up in other parts of the Visayas: Northern Samar, the rest of Eastern Samar, the rest of Samar and Biliran, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its 5 p.m. bulletin.
Moving west-northwestward at 30 kilometers per hour (kph), Pepito was estimated at 465 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar while packing maximum sustained winds of 150kph near the center and gustiness of up to 185kph.
Moving generally west-northwestward within the next five days, the typhoon was more likely to make landfall in the vicinity of Catanduanes Saturday evening or early Sunday morning, Pagasa Administrator Nathaniel Servando said.
He also said the typhoon may make landfalls over the eastern coast of Camarines Sur, Albay, or Sorsogon, over the eastern coast of Northern Samar on Saturday afternoon or evening, or along the eastern coast of Quezon or Aurora on Sunday afternoon or evening.
The national weather agency warned that heavy rainfall, severe winds, and storm surge may still be experienced in localities outside the landfall point.
Forecast to rapidly intensify, Pepito may reach super typhoon category status prior to its landfall.
It will traverse the country as a typhoon and will likely be downgraded into a severe tropical storm once it is over the West Philippine Sea on Monday, the Pagasa chief told The Manila Times.
Meanwhile, Severe Tropical Storm “Ofel” is outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility but Signal No. 1 remains up over Batanes, the state weather bureau said.
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