Clear skies seen over Cebu City on Wednesday, December 25, 2019. CDN Digital photo | Rosalie Abatayo
CEBU CITY, Philippines— The sun has come out in Cebu on Christmas Day, December 25, 2019, bringing a ray of hope to those who have been stranded because of Typhoon Ursula.
Netherlen Seletrero, weather specialist in the Visayas Station of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said the tropical cyclone wind signals (TCWSs) issued in Central Visayas due to Typhoon Ursula have started to be downgraded as of their 8 a.m. bulletin.
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Extreme northern Cebu, including Bantayan Islands (Bantayan, Sta. Fe, Madridejos), Daanbantayan, Medellin, Bogo City, San Remigio, Tabogon, and Tabuelan, are now under TCWS no. 2, lower than yesterday’s signal no. 3.
The rest of Cebu is under signal no. 1.
Seletrero said there is a high chance that the storm warning signal would be lifted within the day as Ursula continues to move westward from Central Visayas at 30 kilometers per hour.
Ursula has maintained its strength at 140 kph and gustiness of up to 195 kph.
” [With its speed], expected nato nga within tonight, makalayo na ni siya sa landmass sa Visayas pero magpabilin gihapon ni sulod sa Philippine Area of Responsibility until Saturday (December 28),” Seletrero told CDN Digital via phone on Wednesday morning.
As of the recent severe weather bulletin issued at 8 a.m., Ursula’s center is located 30 km northwest of Roxas City, Capiz.
Under Signal no. 3 are Western Masbate (Milagros, Aroroy, Mandaon, Balud), Romblon, southern Oriental Mindoro (Roxas, Mansalay, Bulalacao, Bongabong, Bansud), southern Occidental Mindoro (Calintaan, Rizal, San Jose, Magsaysay, southern portion of Sablayan), and Calamian Islands (Busuanga, Coron, Culion),Capiz, Aklan, northern Antique (Caluya, Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, Culasi, Tibiao, Barbaza, Laua-an), and northern Iloilo (Calinog, Bingawan, Passi City, San Enrique, San Rafael, Barotac Viejo, Ajuy, Lemery, Sara, Concepcion, San Dionisio, Batad, Estancia, Balasan, Carles).
“The eyewall of Typhoon “URSULA” is bringing very destructive winds and intense rainfall over southwestern Masbate, Aklan, Capiz, northern Antique, northeastern Iloilo, and Romblon,” Pagasa’s bulletin said.
Aside from extreme northern Cebu, Signal no.2 is in effect in the areas in Southern portion of Quezon (Macalelon, General Luna, Catanauan, Mulanay, San Narciso, San Andres, San Francisco), Marinduque, the rest of Oriental Mindoro, the rest of Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island, Albay, Sorsogon, the rest of Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Cuyo Islands, and extreme northern portion of mainland Palawan (Linapacan, El Nido, Taytay, Araceli the rest of Iloilo, the rest of Antique, Guimaras, and northern Negros Occidental (Valladolid, Pulupandan, Bago City, Murcia, San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto, Bacolod City, Talisay, Silay City, Enrique B. Magalona, Victorias City, Manapla, Cadiz City, Sagay City, Escalante City, Toboso, Calatrava).
Signal no. 1 is also raised in Bataan, Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, the rest of Quezon, Laguna, Batangas, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, the rest northern mainland Palawan (Dumaran, San Vicente, Roxas), and Cagayancillo Islands,Northern Samar. Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Bohol, the rest of Cebu, the rest of Negros Occidental, and Negros Oriental.
“Until tonight: Occasional to frequent heavy with intermittent intense rains over Masbate, northern Negros Provinces, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Romblon, Calamian Islands, Cuyo Islands, and Mindoro Provinces,” said Pagasa. /bmjo