THE province of Catanduanes has been placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) Number 2 as Tropical Storm "Ramon" continues to move west northwest at 19 kilometers per hour (kph) Wednesday afternoon, November 13.
Six provinces -- Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, and Sorsogon in Luzon and Eastern Samar and Northern Samar in the Visayas -- were placed under TCWS Number 1.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said TCWS Number 1 may also be hoisted over Polillo Island Wednesday evening, November 13.
As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, the center of Ramon was located at 390 kilometers east of Catarman, Northern Samar, said Pagasa.
The storm was packing maximum winds of up to 65 kph near the center and gusts of up to 80 kph.
Pagasa said Ramon is expected to be located 160 kilometers northeast of Virac, Catanduanes by Thursday afternoon, November 14.
The weather bureau said that between Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, light to moderate with occasional heavy rains may be experienced over eastern portion Cagayan and Isabela, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes, while light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains may be experienced over Apayao, Aurora, Quezon, and the rest of Cagayan, Isabela, and Bicol Region.
"Between tomorrow afternoon and Friday afternoon, light to moderate with occasional heavy rains may be experienced over the eastern portion of Cagayan and Isabela. Light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains over Bicol Region, Marinduque, Romblon, Quezon, Aurora, and Apayao," it added.
It warned residents in aforementioned areas, especially those living in areas identified to be highly or very highly susceptible to flooding and rain-induced landslides, to take precautionary measures, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and monitor for updates.
"Sea travel is risky, especially for small sea crafts, over the seaboards of areas under TCWS, the seaboards of Northern Luzon, and the eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon due to prevailing or forecast rough sea conditions," Pagasa said.
Ramon is the 18th tropical cyclone to have entered the Philippine area of responsibility this 2019. (LMY/SunStar Philippines)