SEVERE Tropical Storm “Paeng” (Nalgae) has maintained its strength while moving over the northern portion of Marinduque, where it made its fourth landfall Saturday morning, October 29, 2022.

Paeng made its fourth landfall at 8:40 a.m. Saturday in Santa Cruz, Marinduque. The first three were in Virac, Catanduanes (1:10 a.m.); Caramoan, Camarines Sur (1:40 a.m.); and Buenavista, Quezon (6 a.m.).

As of 10 a.m., the center of Paeng was located in the vicinity of Mogpog, Marinduque, with maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (km/h), gusts of up to 130 km/h, and central pressure of 985 hPa. It was moving west southwestward at 25 km/h.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) hoisted Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) Number 3 in Marinduque, the northern and central portions of Quezon (Pitogo, San Andres, Buenavista, Lucena City, San Francisco, Pagbilao, Infanta, Tiaong, Lopez, Catanauan, Mulanay, Unisan, General Luna, Plaridel, Quezon, San Antonio, Alabat, Candelaria, Lucban, Sampaloc, Padre Burgos, Sariaya, City of Tayabas, Macalelon, Mauban, Dolores, General Nakar, Perez, Agdangan, Gumaca, Atimonan, Real, San Narciso, Guinayangan, Calauag) including Pollilo Islands, Laguna, Batangas, Cavite, Metro Manila, Rizal, Bataan, the southern portion of Zambales (Olongapo City, Subic, Castillejos, San Antonio), and Lubang Islands.

TCWS 2 was raised over the northwestern portion of Sorsogon (Pilar, Donsol), the western portion of Masbate (Aroroy, Baleno, Mandaon) including Burias Island, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, the rest of Quezon, Romblon, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Albay, the southern portion of Aurora (San Luis, Baler, Dingalan, Maria Aurora), Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, and the rest of Zambales, as well as in the northwestern portion of Antique (Libertad, Pandan, Caluya Islands) and the western portion of Aklan (Buruanga, Malay, Nabas, Ibajay, Tangalan, Makato, Numancia, Lezo).

TCWS 1 was raised over Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Abra, Kalinga, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Benguet, Ilocos Sur, La Union, the rest of Aurora, Catanduanes, the rest of Sorsogon, the rest of Masbate including Ticao Island, and the northern portion of Palawan (El Nido, Taytay, Dumaran, Araceli, Roxas, San Vicente) including Calamian and Cuyo Islands in Luzon; and Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands, Bohol, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Guimaras,the rest of Aklan, the rest of Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo in the Visayas.

Pagasa said Paeng was forecast to track westward in the short term before moving west northwestward through Sunday across Luzon.

On the forecast track, the center of Paeng was expected to make another landfall, this time in the vicinity of southeastern portion of Batangas before traversing the Cavite-Metro Manila-Bataan Peninsula area for the remainder of the day.

“However, southward shift in the forecast track of Paeng is possible in the succeeding bulletins,” said the weather bureau.

It added that due to frictional effects, Paeng may weaken into a tropical storm while moving over the Luzon landmass. It may re-intensify into a severe tropical storm once it reaches the West Philippine Sea. (LMY)