MANILA, Philippines -- Signal No. 2 has been raised over several parts in the Visayas and Mindanao due to Severe Tropical Storm Tino, which has further intensified while moving over the Philippine Sea, the state weather agency said early Monday morning.
In Mindanao, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its 5 a.m. advisroy that Signal No. 2 was also up over Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, the northeastern portion of Agusan del Norte (Kitcharao, Jabonga, Santiago and Tubay), and the northern portion of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan and Madrid).
Meanwhile, Signal No. 1 is hoisted over Sorsogon, Masbate including Ticao Island and Burias Island, the southern portion of Albay (Santo Domingo, Guinobatan, Legazpi City, Camalig, City of Ligao, Rapu-Rapu, Pio Duran, Bacacay, Daraga, Malilipot, Jovellar and Manito), Romblon, the southern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay and Bulalacao), the southern portion of Occidental Mindoro (San Jose, Rizal, Calintaan and Magsaysay), and Cuyo Islands in Luzon.
In the Visayas, the same wind signal was raised over Northern Samar, the rest of Eastern Samar, the rest of Samar, the rest of Bohol, the rest of Cebu including Bantayan Islands, Siquijor, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, and Antique including Caluya Islands, the state-run weather bureau said.
Signal No. 1 is also up over the central portion of Surigao del Sur (Carmen, Lanuza, Cortes, City of Tandag, San Miguel, Tago, Cagwait, Bayabas, Marihatag, San Agustin and Lianga), the northern portion of Agusan del Sur (Sibagat, City of Bayugan, Prosperidad and Esperanza), the rest of Agusan del Norte, the eastern portion of Misamis Oriental (Gingoog City, Magsaysay, Medina, Talisayan, Balingoan, Kinoguitan, Claveria, Tagoloan, Villanueva, Jasaan, Balingasag, Lagonglong, Salay, Binuangan and Sugbongcogon), and Camiguin in Mindanao.
Estimated at 430 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, Tino is moving at 30 kilometers per hour (kph) while packing maximum sustained winds of 110kph near the center and gustiness of up to 135kph, Pagasa's latest bulletin said.
Pagasa chief Nathaniel Servando said that the surge of the northeast monsoon which coincides with the passage of Tino will bring strong to gale-force gusts over coastal and upland areas exposed to winds.
"There is a high risk of life-threatening and damaging storm surge within the next 48 hours over the low-lying coastal communities of Sorsogon, Masbate, Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Visayas, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental, and Camiguin," Servando warned.
A gale warning is also in effect over the eastern seaboards of Visayas and Mindanao, and the eastern and southern seaboards of Southern Luzon, he added.
Forecast to continuously intensify and may reach typhoon category within the next 12 hours, Tino may make its initial landfall over Eastern Samar, Leyte, or Dinagat Islands by midnight or early Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country would be experiencing partly cloudy to overcast skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorms, the national weather agency said.