'Yolanda' Pounds Visayas Region, Signal no.4 Now Up Over At Least 22 Areas

 

Super Typhoon Yolanda has now made its second landfall over Dulag and Tolosa in Leyte past 7:00 a.m. and a 3rd landfall in Daanbantayan, Cebu at around 9:40 a.m. on Friday as it pounds its way across the Visayas region.

It earlier made its 1st landfall over Guiuan, Eastern Samar around 4:40 a.m..

Weather Bureau PAGASA said Yolanda is still moving west northwest at a very fast speed of 39 kilometers per hour bearing very strong winds of up to 235 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 275 kilometers per hour.

Yolanda is now expected to traverse the provinces of Biliran, Northern Cebu, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Romblom, Semirara Island, Southern Mindoro and Busuanga in Palawan. With its current movement, it is forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) early Saturday morning.

According to PAGASA, Yolanda is not just the strongest storm in the Philippine history but also tagged as the most powerful cyclone in the world for 2013. It is placed under category 5, labeling it as a super typhoon.

Public Storm Warning Signal no. 4 is now raised over at least 22 areas:

LUZON:
Masbate
Ticao Island
Southern Sorsogon
Romblon

VISAYAS:
Northern Samar
Eastern Samar
Samar
Leyte
Southern Leyte
Biliran
Northern Cebu
Cebu City
Bantayan
Camotes Islands
Northern Negros Occidental
Capiz
Aklan
Antique
Iloilo
Guimaras

MINDANAO:
Dinagat Province
   
The following provinces were also placed under Storm Signals 3, 2, and 1 respectively.

SIGNAL NO. 3
LUZON
Rest of Sorsogon
Burias Island
Albay
Marinduque
Occidental Mindoro
Oriental Mindoro
Calamian Group of Islands

VISAYAS:
Rest of Negros Occidental
Negros Oriental
Rest of Cebu
Bohol

MINDANAO:
Surigao del Norte
Siargao Island

SIGNAL NO 2
LUZON:
Catanduanes
Camarines Sur
Southern Quezon
Laguna
Batangas
Rizal
Metro Manila
Cavite
Bataan
Lubang Islands
Northern Palawan
Puerto Princesa

VISAYAS:
Siquijor

MINDANAO
Camiguin
Surigao Del Sur
Agusan Del Norte

SIGNAL NO 1
LUZON:
Camarines Norte
Rest of Quezon
Polilio Island
Bulacan
Pampanga
Zambales

MINDANAO:
Misamis Oriental
Agusan del Sur


While Metro Manila is experiencing light to moderate rains in the morning, PAGASA said it will get worse in the afternoon or early evening.

Over in Southern Leyte, one of the provinces currently being battered by the super typhoon, Governor Roger Mercado of Southern Leyte warned nearby provinces on the wrath of Yolanda.

“We would like to advise all provinces and cities along the path of typhoon Yolanda not to take this typhoon lightly. They have to prepare now, evacuate and make moves. Maghanda na kayo dyan kasi dito talaga sa amin talagang malakas na malakas. Do not under estimate this. Please prepare now,” Mercado said in a phone interview with ANC’s Headstart.

Mercado said, at least 7,771 families or more than 31,000 individuals have already been evacuated.

He added, Southern Leyte is currently experiencing power outage and roads remain impassable due to fallen trees and electric posts.