‘Urduja’ has weakened into a tropical depression and is now over the Samar Sea, the state weather bureau PAGASA reported Sunday morning, December 17.
In its 8:00 a.m. weather bulletin, PAGASA said the center of Tropical Depression was located at 50 kilometers Southwest of Catarman, Northern Samar. Moving west at 15 kph, Urduja packed maximum sustained winds of 60 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.
Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Number 1 is raised over the following areas:
- Southern part of Occidental Mindoro
- Southern part of Oriental Mindoro
- Albay
- Sorsogon
- Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands
- Northern part of Palawan including Cuyo and Calamian Group of Islands
- Aklan
- Antique
- Capiz
- Iloilo
- Guimaras
- Northern portion of Negros Occidental
- Northern portion of Cebu
- Northern Samar
- Samar
- Eastern Samar
- Leyte
- Biliran
PAGASA warns that sea travel remains risky over the seaboards of the said areas.
Additionally, Urduja will continue to bring scattered to widespread rains over Southern Quezon, Batangas, Mindoro Provinces, Marinduque, Romblon, and Northern Palawan including Cuyo and Calamian Group of Islands. Residents of these areas must undertake appropriate measures against flooding and landslides.
Aside from Urduja, PAGASA is also monitoring a tropical depression 1,990 kilometers east of Mindanao, still outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility. It has maximum winds of 40 km/h and gustiness of up to 50 km/h.
PAGASA also advises the public and disaster risk reduction and management councils concerned to take appropriate actions and watch for the next severe weather bulletin to be issued at 11 a.m. on Sunday. —R4A/DOST-PAGASA
