THE Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has raised Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal #1 (TCWS#1) over 12 areas in Bicol, Visayas and Mindanao, including northern Cebu and Camotes Islands, as Tropical Depression Usman quickened its approach to the eastern coast of the country.

Senior weather specialist Chris Perez said storm alerts are up over the entire Eastern Visayas region (Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte and Biliran), Masbate, Ticao Island, Camotes Islands, Sorsogon, northern Cebu and Dinagat Island as of 5 a.m. Thursday, December 27.

The state weather bureau has not ruled out the possibility that “Usman” will intensify into a tropical storm before its projected landfall in Eastern Samar on Friday.

At 4 a.m. Thursday, “Usman” was spotted around 435 kilometers east of Surigao City. It has slightly accelerated, moving at 20 kilometers per hour (kph), but was still packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 65 kph.

Perez said “Usman” will bring moderate to heavy rains within its 300-kilometer diameter in the next two to three days. Residents in affected areas as well as in Metro Manila are advised to prepare for possible flashfloods and landslides.

Sea travel is risky over the eastern seaboard of the Visayas and Southern Luzon as well as in the waters off Surigao provinces and Dinagat Island. Pagasa has raised a gale warning over these areas.

Meanwhile, Perez said a gale warning has also been raised over the northern and western seaboards of northern Luzon due to the amihan, or northeast monsoon. (MVI/SunStar Philippines)