MORE areas in the Visayas and Luzon have been placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) as Typhoon Ambo (Vongfong) continues to move over the northern portion of Samar province while maintaining its strength Thursday, May 14.
The state weather bureau said the eyewall of Ambo is bringing violent winds and heavy to intense rains over the northern portion of Samar and the southern portion of Northern Samar.
The typhoon earlier made landfall in San Policarpio, Eastern Samar.
As of 4 p.m. Thursday, the eye of the typhoon was loated in the vicinity of San Jose De Buan, Samar, with maximum sustained winds of up to 155 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center and gusts of up to 255 km/h. It was moving west at 15 km/h.
Placed under TCWS Number 3 are Sorsogon, Albay, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, and southernmost portion of Quezon (Tagkawayan, Calauag, Lopez, Macalelon, General Luna, Catanauan, Buenavista, Guinayangan, Mulanay, San Narciso, San Andres, San Francisco), Northern Samar, the northern portion of Eastern Samar (Jipapad, Arteche, Maslog, Dolores, Oras, San Policarpo, Can-avid, Taft, Sulat, San Julian, Borongan City, Maydolong), the northern portion of Samar (Calbayog City, Sta. Margarita, Gandara, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, Matuguinao, San Jose de Buan, Catbalogan, Jiabong, Motiong, Paranas, Tarangnan, San Sebastian, Hinabangan), and Biliran.
These areas will experience strong to destructive typhoon-force winds during the passage of the typhoon.
Under TCWS Number 2 are the southern portion of Quezon (Mauban, Sampaloc, Lucban, Tayabas, Dolores, Candelaria, Sariaya, Tiaong, San Antonio, Lucena City, Pagbilao, Atimonan, Padre Burgos, Agdangan, Unisan, Plaridel, Gumaca, Pitogo, Quezon, Alabat, Perez, Real), Marinduque, Romblon, Laguna, and southeastern portion of Batangas (Padre Garcia, Ibaan, Batangas City, Taysan, Rosario, Lobo, San Juan)
The northernmost portion of Leyte (Calubian, San Isidro, Tabango, Leyte, Capoocan, Carigara, Barugo, San Miguel, Babatngon, Tunga, Alangalang, Sta. Fe, Palo, Tacloban City, Jaro), the rest of Samar, and the rest of Eastern Samar.
Residents in these areas will experience strong to damaging gale/storm-force winds during the passage of the typhoon.
TCWS Number 1 was hoisted over Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal, Bataan, Pampanga, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Tarlac, Zambales, Oriental Mindoro, eastern portion of Pangasinan (Lingayen, Bugallon, Aguilar, Mangatarem, Binmaley, San Carlos, Urbiztondo, Basista, Bayambang, Bautista, Calasiao, Alcala, Malasiqui, Sta. Barbara, Dagupan, Mangaldan, San Jacinto, Mapandan, Manaoag, Urdaneta, Villasis, Sto. Tomas, Rosales, Balungao, Umingan, San Quintin, Sta. Maria, Natividad, Tayug, Asingan, San Nicolas, San Manuel, Binalonan, Laoac, Pozorrubio, Sison, San Fabian), rest of Quezon, and rest of Batangas.
Also under TCWS Number 1 are the rest of northern portion of Leyte (Villaba, Kananga, Matag-ob, Palompon, Ormoc, Merida, Isabel, Ormoc City, Albuena, Pastrana, Dagami, Tanauan, Tabontabon, Tolosa, Barauen, Julita, Dulag), the northeastern portion of Capiz (Pilar), the northeastern portion of Iloilo (Carles, Balasan, Estancia, Batad), and northern Cebu (Medelin, Daanbantayan, Madridejos, Bantayan, Santa Fe).
These areas will experience strong to near gale-force winds during the passage of the typhoon.
Pagasa said that tonight, May 14, heavy to at times intense rains will be experienced over Samar provinces, Masbate, and Sorsogon.
Moderate to at times heavy rains will be experienced over Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, and the rest of Eastern Visayas.
On Friday, May 15, moderate to heavy with at times intense rains are expected over Bicol Region, Northern Samar, Quezon, Aurora, Marinduque, and Romblon.
Pagasa advised residents in these areas to take appropriate measures, stressing that flooding and rain-induced landslides may occur in highly to very highly susceptible areas during heavy or prolonged rainfall.
It also said that in the next 24 hours, storm surge of two to four meters may be experienced over the coastal areas of Northern Samar, Samar (west coast), Sorsogon, Albay, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Quezon, and Aurora.
"Along with large swells, this storm surge may cause potentially life-threatening coastal inundation," Pagasa said.
It also warned that sea travel is risky for all types of seacrafts over the seaboards of areas under TCWS.
Ambo is the first tropical cyclone to hit the country this year. (LMY/SunStar Philippines)