SEVERAL areas in the country have been placed under storm signal as Tropical Depression Vicky continues to move west-northwestward toward the Davao Oriental-Surigao del Sur area Friday, December 18, 2020.
In its 8 a.m. Friday weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Vicky is forecast to move generally west-northwestward and make landfall in the vicinity of Davao Oriental-Surigao del Sur area in the next 12 hours.
As of 10 a.m. Friday, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) Number 1 has been hoisted over the following areas:
Luzon
The northern and central portion of Palawan (Puerto Princesa City, Roxas, San Vicente, Dumaran, Araceli, Taytay, El Nido) including Calamian, Cuyo, and Cagayancillo Islands
Visayas
The southern portion of Leyte (Baybay City, Javier, Abuyog, Mahaplag, Inopacan, Hindang, Hilongos, Bato, Matalom, Palompon, Merida, Isabel), Southern Leyte, the central and southern portions of Cebu (Borbon, Tabuelan, Tuburan, Sogod, Catmon, Carmen, Asturias, Danao City, Compostela, Liloan, Consolacion, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Cordoba, Balamban, Cebu City, Talisay City, Toledo City, Minglanilla, Naga City, Pinamungahan, San Fernando, Aloguinsan, Carcar, Barili, Sibonga, Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal, Argao, Dalaguete, Badian, Alegria, Alcoy, Boljoon, Oslob, Malabuyoc, Ginatilan, Samboan, Santander) including Camotes Islands, Bohol, Siquijor, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, the central and southern portions of Iloilo (Ajuy, Barotac Viejo, San Enrique, San Rafael, Passi City, Bingawan, Calinog, Lambunao, Janiuay, Banate, Anilao, Dingle, Duenas, Badiangan, Barotac Nuevo, Zarraga, Pototan, Dumangas, Mina, New Lucena, Santa Barbara, Leganes, Iloilo City, Pavia, Cabatuan, Maasin, Alimodian, San Miguel, Leon, Oton, Tigbauan, Tubungan, Guimbal, Igbaras, Miagao, San Joaquin), and the southern portion of Antique (Valderrama, San Remigio, Sibalom, Hamtic, Tobias Fornier, Anini-Y, Bugasong, Laua-An, Patnongon, San Jose, Belison)
Mindanao
Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro, Davao City, the northern portion of Davao del Sur (Santa Cruz, Digos City, Bansalan, Magsaysay, Matanao, Hagonoy), Camiguin, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Cotabato City, North Cotabato, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, and the northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte (Baliguian, Gutalac, Kalawit, Labason, Tampilisan, Liloy, Salug, Bacungan, Godod, Sindangan, Siayan, Jose Dalman, Manukan, Sergio Osmena Sr., Pres. Manuel A. Roxas, Katipunan, Dipolog City, Polanco, Pinan, Mutia, La Libertad, Dapitan City, Sibutad, Rizal)
Pagasa said these areas will have strong breeze to near gale conditions during the passage of the tropical cyclone.
As of 7 a.m. Friday, the center of Vicky was estimated based on all available data at 185 kilometers east of Davao City. It was packing maximum winds of 45 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center and gusts of up to 55 km/h.
Pagasa said the tropical depression is moving west northwestward at 15 km/h.
It added that Vicky, after crossing Mindanao, is likely to emerge over the Bohol Sea early morning Saturday, December 19, pass close or over Siquijor, and make another landfall over the southern portion of Negros Island.
By Saturday morning or afternoon, Vicky is likely to emerge of the Sulu Sea, Pagasa added.
The weather bureau also forecast Vicky to remain a tropical depression while crossing the Philippine archipelago.
But it advised the public to take precautions as the combined effects of Vicky and the tail-end of a frontal system will bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Caraga, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Southern Leyte, Leyte, and Bohol.
Light to moderate with at times heavy rains are also expected over Bicol Region, the southern portion of Quezon, Lanao del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, and the rest of Visayas, Davao Region, the rest of Northern Mindanao.
On Sunday, December 20, Pagasa said moderate to heavy with at times intense rains will prevail over Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Quezon, and the northern portion of Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo Islands.
Light to moderate with at times heavy rains will also be experienced over mainland Cagayan Valley, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, and the rest of Calabarzon, Mimaropa and the Visayas.
Pagasa also warned of flooding (including flash floods) and rain-induced landslides during heavy or prolonged periods of rainfall, especially in areas identified to be highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards and in localities that received significant antecedent rainfall over the past couple of days or weeks.
Adjacent or nearby areas may also experience flooding in the absence of such rainfall occurrence due to surface runoff or swelling of river channels, it added,
It also warned that in the next 24 hours, the combined effects of the surge of the northeast monsoon and the approaching tropical depression will bring rough to very rough seas over the entire seaboards of northern Luzon, the seaboard of Aurora, the eastern seaboard of Quezon including Polillo Islands, the seaboard of Camarines Norte, the northern seaboard of Camarines Sur, the northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes, the eastern seaboard of Albay including Rapu-Rapu Islands, the eastern seaboard of Sorsogon, the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar, and the eastern seaboard of Eastern Samar including Homonhon Island.
Moderate to rough seas will be experienced over the coastal waters of areas under TCWS 1. Sea travel is risky over these waters especially for small sea vessels, Pagasa added. (Laureen MondoƱedo-Ynot)