TROPICAL Storm Vinta has intensified further and may make landfall over Surigao del Sur between late this evening (December 21) and early Friday morning (December 22).
As of 4 p.m. Thursday, the center of Vinta was located at 200 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, packing maximum winds of 80 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 110 kph.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Vinta was forecast to move west at 21 kph. It is expected to be at 75 kilometers northwest of El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental, by Friday afternoon.
Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) Number 2 has been raised over Surigao del Norte, including Siargao Islands, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Northern Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, and Lanao del Sur.
Under TCWS Number 1 as of 5 p.m. Thursday were southern Negros Occidental and southern Negros Oriental, Dinagat Island, Misamis Occidental, North Cotabato, Maguindanao, and the rest of Davao Oriental, Northern Davao del Sur, Compostela Valley, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Zamboanga del Norte
Pagasa said that Vinta will bring scattered to widespread moderate to heavy rains on Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Caraga, Davao Region, Northern Mindanao, and Zamboanga Peninsula within 24 hours.
"Residents of these areas must make appropriate actions against possible flooding and landslides, coordinate with their respective local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and continue monitoring for updates," said the weather bureau.
"Sea travel is risky over the seaboards of areas under tropical cyclone warning signal," it added. (SunStar Philippines)