Basyang now a tropical depression; entire Cebu under Storm Signal No. 1

Basyang has weakened into a tropical depression after it made landfall in Cortes town, Surigao del Sur at around 9 a.m. today, the Philippine Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported.

“Scattered to widespread moderate to heavy rains will prevail in the next 24 hours over Palawan, Visayas, Caraga, Northern Mindanao and Zamboanga Peninsula,” PAGASA stated in its latest weather bulletin issued at 11 a.m.

Sea travel remains risky over the seaboards of areas under Storm Signal No. 1, including the entire Cebu province.

As of 10 a.m., the center of the tropical depression was estimated to be in the vicinity of Cantilan, Surigao del Sur.

Basyang has maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 75 kph. It is moving west northwest at 25 kph.
The tropical depression is expected to be outside Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday morning.

Aside from Cebu province, the following provinces and islands have been placed under Signal No. 1: Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo groups of islands in Luzon; Aklan, Capiz, Antique, Iloilo, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Bohol, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, southern section of Samar, and southern section of Eastern Samar in the Visayas; Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, northern section of Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, northern section of Lanao del Sur, Misamis Occidental, and northern section of Zamboanga del Norte in Mindanao.