STORM warning signals remained hoisted over several areas in the country, particularly in Mindanao, hours after Severe Tropical Storm Vinta made landfall in Cateel, Davao Oriental.
As of 6 a.m. Friday, December 22, the storm was located in the vicinity of Boston, Davao Oriental. It was packing maximum winds of 90 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 125 kph.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) forecast it to move west at 20 kph and will be 145 kilometers west southwest of Dipolog City in Zamboanga del Norte.
Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) Number 2 remained hoisted over Siquijor and southern Negros Oriental, Surigao del Norte including Siargao Islands, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Northern Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Camiguin, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Misamis Occidental, eastern Zamboanga del Norte, and eastern Zamboanga del Sur,
TCWS Number 1 was raised over Southern Leyte, southern portion of Leyte, Bohol, southern Cebu, rest of Negros Oriental, and southern Negros Occidental in the Visayas, Dinagat Island, rest of Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, North Cotabato, Maguindanao, rest of Zamboanga del Norte, rest of Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay in Mindanao.
Pagasa said that scattered to widespread moderate to heavy rains will prevail over Visayas and Mindanao within 24 hours.
"Residents of these areas must make appropriate actions against flooding and landslides, coordinate with their respective local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and continue monitoring for updates," it said.
"Sea travel remains risky over the seaboards of areas under TCWS," the weather bureau added. (SunStar Philippines)