Urduja moving slowly, to make landfall in Samar on December 16

TROPICAL Storm Urduja (Kai-Tak) is moving slowly at five kilometers per hour (kph) and is expected to make landfall in Northern Samar or Eastern Samar on Saturday, December 16, the state weather bureau said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) hoisted Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) Number 2 over Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar and Biliran provinces.

TCWS Number 1 was raised over Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands, Romblon, Leyte, Southern Leyte, northern Cebu, including Bantayan Island, Capiz, Aklan, northern Iloilo, and Dinagat Island.

Pagasa said Urduja will either make landfall in the morning or in the afternoon of Saturday.

As of 10 a.m. Friday, the center of the storm was located 240 kilometers east of Borongan City, Eastern Samar. It has a maximum sustained winds of up to 75 kph and gusts of up to 90 kph.

Scattered to widespread rains will continue over Visayas and the regions of Bicol and Caraga, said Pagasa.

The public was advised against possible flashfloods and landslides and told to coordinate with their local disaster risk reduction and management offices.

Sea travel has also been discouraged, as the eastern seaboards of Bicol Region and the Visayas are still risky due to very rough seas associated with the tropical storm, said Pagasa.

Below is the track of Urduja:

- 24-hour (Saturday morning): Borongan City, Eastern Samar

- 48-hour (Sunday morning): Calbayog City, Samar

- 72-hour (Monday morning): Cuyo Palawan

- 96-hour (Tuesday morning): Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

- 120-hour (Wednesday morning): Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

(SunStar Philippines)

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