Storm Signal No. 1 has been raised in more than a dozen areas due to Tropical Storm Nokaen, locally named Ada, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) advisory on Friday.
The affected areas include the eastern portion of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Northern Samar, Samar, and Eastern Samar, PAGASA said in its 11:00 a.m. advisory.
The signal is likewise in effect in Biliran, the northern and central portions of Leyte, the eastern portion of Southern Leyte, Dinagat Islands, and Siargao–Bucas Grande Islands.
PAGASA said that under Storm Signal No. 1, winds of up to 61 kilometers per hour may be experienced within the next 36 hours, which could cause minimal to minor damage to properties made of light materials.
The weather bureau added that the highest wind signal that may be hoisted throughout the passage of Nokaen is Signal No. 2.
The storm has maintained its strength, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 80 kph.
It was last located 325 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, moving northward at 15 kph.
As for its track, PAGASA said Nokaen is likely to pass close to Eastern Samar and Northern Samar on Saturday, then near Catanduanes from Saturday evening through Sunday.
Although the latest tracking shows that the storm is not expected to make landfall, PAGASA said a possible landfall over Samar cannot be ruled out due to the cyclone’s wide forecast cone, which indicates potential changes in direction.
Meanwhile, PAGASA also issued an orange heavy rainfall warning over Northern Samar and Eastern Samar, where rainfall of up to 200 millimeters is expected from Friday to Saturday noon.
This means that up to 200 liters of rain per square meter may fall over the affected areas, which could trigger flooding even in non–flood-prone locations, as well as landslides in moderate- to high-risk areas, PAGASA said in a separate 11:00 a.m. advisory.— Edg Adrian A. Eva
