Catanduanes under Signal No. 5 as Pepito set to make landfall

Image from DOST / Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines — With Super Typhoon Pepito (international name: Man-yi) expected to make landfall on the island province on Saturday, Catanduanes was placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 5, the warning system’s highest alert level.

In its 2 p.m. advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) placed Pepito at 180 kilometers (kms) east-southeast of Virac, Catanduanes – with winds of up to 195 kms per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 240 kph.

State meteorologists said the super typhoon was maintaining its west-northwestward path at 20 kph, with a landfall on Catanduanes imminent on either Saturday evening (Nov. 16) or Sunday early morning (Nov. 17).

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This development prompted Pagasa to raise TCWS No. 5 over Catanduanes. No other provinces or locations were placed in the same alert level.

Meanwhile, TCWS No. 4 was raised in the following areas:

Luzon

• The northeastern portion of Camarines Sur (Garchitorena, Caramoan, Presentacion, Siruma, Tinambac, Goa, Lagonoy, San Jose, Tigaon, Sagñay)
• The northeastern portion of Albay (City of Tabaco, Tiwi, Malinao, Malilipot, Bacacay, Rapu-Rapu)

Additionally, Pagasa placed the following under TCWS No. 3:

Luzon

• Polillo Islands
• The southeastern portion of mainland Quezon (Calauag, Guinayangan, Tagkawayan, Buenavista)
• Camarines Norte
• The rest of Camarines Sur
• The rest of Albay
• The northern portion of Sorsogon (Prieto Diaz, City of Sorsogon, Gubat, Barcelona, Castilla, Casiguran, Pilar, Donsol)

Visayas

• The eastern and central portions of Northern Samar (Palapag, Laoang, Mapanas, Gamay, Lapinig, Catubig, Pambujan, Las Navas, Biri, Bobon, Catarman, Mondragon, San Roque, Silvino Lobos, Lope de Vega, San Jose)
• The northern portion of Eastern Samar (San Policarpo, Arteche, Oras, Jipapad)

Further, TCWS No. 2 was hoisted in the following:

Luzon

• The southern portion of Isabela (Dinapigue, Cordon, Ramon, Alicia, City of Cauayan, Angadanan, City of Santiago, San Isidro, Echague, Jones, San Agustin, San Guillermo, San Mariano, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Palanan)
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• The eastern portion of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Umingan, Natividad, San Quintin, Tayug, Santa Maria, Rosales, Balungao, San Manuel, Villasis, Malasiqui, Bautista, Mapandan, Binalonan, Alcala, Asingan, Santo Tomas, City of Urdaneta, Laoac, Manaoag, Bayambang, Santa Barbara)
• Aurora
• Nueva Ecija
• Bulacan
• Tarlac
• Pampanga
• The southern portion of Zambales (Botolan, Cabangan, San Marcelino, San Felipe, San Narciso, San Antonio, Castillejos, Subic, Olongapo City)
• Bataan
• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• The rest of Quezon
• Laguna
• Cavite
• Marinduque
• Burias Island
• Ticao Island

Visayas

• The central portion of Eastern Samar (Dolores, Maslog, Can-Avid, Taft, Sulat, San Julian, City of Borongan)
• The 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)
• The rest of Northern Samar

Lastly, TCWS No. 1 was up in the following locations:

Luzon

• Mainland Cagayan
• The rest of Isabela
• Apayao
• Kalinga
• Abra
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• The rest of Pangasinan
• The rest of Zambales
• Batangas
• The northern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Sablayan, Santa Cruz, Mamburao, Abra de Ilog, Paluan) including Lubang Islands
• The northern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, Naujan, Baco, Victoria, Socorro, Pinamalayan, Bansud, Gloria, Pola, City of Calapan, Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay)
• Romblon
• The rest of Masbate

Visayas

• The rest of Eastern Samar
• The rest of Samar
• Biliran
• The northern and central portions of Leyte (Tunga, Pastrana, San Miguel, Matag-Ob, Tolosa, Palo, Calubian, Leyte, Mayorga, Julita, Carigara, Babatngon, Dagami, Jaro, San Isidro, Santa Fe, Albuera, Villaba, La Paz, Palompon, Macarthur, Tabontabon, Tanauan, Merida, Ormoc City, Isabel, Dulag, Capoocan, Alangalang, Burauen, Tabango, Tacloban City, Kananga, Barugo, Abuyog, Javier, City of Baybay, Mahaplag)
• The northeastern portion of Southern Leyte (Silago)
• The northernmost portion of Cebu (Daanbantayan, Medellin) including Bantayan Islands
• The northernmost portion of Iloilo (Carles)

Mindanao

• The northern portion of Dinagat Islands (Loreto, Tubajon)

• 

  Illustration by Ed Lustan / INQUIRER.net

Earlier on Saturday, the provincial government of Catanduanes ordered forced evacuations of residents from at-risk areas in preparation for the coming super typhoon.

Pagasa warned of storm surges reaching above 3.0 meters in the island province.