Pepito now a super typhoon; Signal No. 4 up over 2 Bicol areas

Signal No. 4 was raised over Catanduanes and part of northeastern Camarines Sur as tropical cyclone Pepito intensified into a super typhoon on Saturday, threatening the Bicol region, weather service PAGASA said.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 4 was raised over the following areas:

• Catanduanes
• northeastern portion of Camarines Sur (Garchitorena, Presentacion, Caramoan, Lagonoy, San Jose)

Signal No. 4 has typhoon-force winds with speed of 118 to 184 kph, posing significant to severe threats to life and property.

Meanwhile, Signal no. 3 was raised over the following areas:

Luzon

• eastern portion of Camarines Norte (Vinzons, Talisay, Mercedes, Daet, Basud, San Vicente, San Lorenzo Ruiz)
• northern and southeastern portion of Camarines Sur (Sagñay, Tigaon, Goa, Tinambac, Siruma, Buhi, Ocampo, Iriga City, Sipocot, Pili, Cabusao, Calabanga, Bombon, Magarao, Canaman, Naga City, Camaligan)
• eastern portion of Albay (City of Tabaco, Malilipot, Tiwi, Malinao, Santo Domingo, Manito, Legazpi City, Bacacay, Rapu-Rapu)
• northeastern portion of Sorsogon  (Prieto Diaz, City of Sorsogon, Gubat)

Visayas

• eastern portion of Northern Samar (Palapag, Laoang, Mapanas, Gamay, Lapinig, Catubig, Pambujan)
• northern portion of Eastern Samar (San Policarpo, Arteche, Oras, Jipapad)

Storm-force winds in these areas carried speeds of 89 to 117 kph, posing moderate to significant threats to life and property.

Signal No. 2, which has gale-force winds of 62 to 88 kph with minor to moderate threats to life and property, was hoisted over the following areas:

Luzon

• southeastern portion of Isabela (Dinapigue)
• Aurora
• Quezon
• eastern portion of Rizal (Tanay, Pililla, Jala-Jala)
• Laguna
• rest of Camarines Norte
• rest of Camarines Sur
• rest of Albay
• rest of Sorsogon
• Burias Island
• Ticao Island

Visayas

• central portion of Eastern Samar (Dolores, Maslog, Can-Avid, Taft, Sulat, San Julian, City of Borongan)
• northern portion of Samar (Matuguinao, Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, Tarangnan, Motiong, Gandara, Jiabong, City of Catbalogan, Paranas, Hinabangan, San Sebastian, Pagsanghan)
• rest of Northern Samar

— VDV, GMA Integrated News