MANILA: Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 is up over parts of Palawan on Wednesday (Nov 26) morning as Tropical Storm Verbena (international name: Koto) intensified further over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), the state weather bureau said.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its early morning bulletin that areas under Signal No. 2 are forecast to experience gale-force winds of 62 to 88 kilometres per hour (kph) in the next 24 hours.
These winds with a “minor to moderate threat to life and property” may be experienced in the Calamian Islands, El Nido and Taytay in Palawan, Pagasa said.
Pagasa also raised TCWS No. 1 over Occidental Mindoro and the northern and central portions of Palawan, including Cuyo and Kalayaan Islands, which may experience wind speeds of 39 to 61 kph in the next 36 hours.
Pagasa warned of “minimal to minor threat to life and property” in these areas.
Verbena is expected to bring 100 to 200mm of rain to Palawan and 50 to 100mm of rain to Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, and Marinduque on Wednesday, Pagasa added.
Localized flooding and landslides are possible in the said areas.
At 4am, Pagasa tracked Verbena some 130km west of Coron, Palawan, moving west-northwestward at 25 kilometres per hour, packing maximum sustained winds of 85 kph and gusts up to 105 kph.
Pagasa said that Verbena may reach the severe tropical storm category on Wednesday afternoon and will continue to intensify before exiting the Philippine area of responsibility Thursday morning. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
