Tropical Storm Kabayan exits Luzon

The Philippines’ National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said in a bulletin that search and rescue operations continued for the fishermen who ventured into the rough seas off the northern Aurora province at the height of tropical storm Mujigae – locally named as Kabayan.

In its 5am weather bulletin, PAG-ASA placed Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan and Tarlac under public storm warning signal number 2. Winds of 30 to 60 kilometers are expected over these areas in 36 hours.

Residents in low lying and mountainous areas of the provinces under signal numbers 1 and 2 were alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides. Classes in all levels were likewise suspended in Taytay, Cainta, Teresa and Antipolo in Rizal.

Pagasa said Kabayan will continue to bring moderate to heavy rains in areas within its 300-kilometer diameter, while moderate to occasionally heavy rains and isolated thunderstorms will be experienced over the provinces of Bataan, Zambales, Tarlac and Pangasinan.

Traveling over the Northern and Western seaboards of Luzon is still risky.

PAGASA said the storm continued intensifying as it moved west-northwest toward China at 20 kilometers per hour (12.4 miles per hour) – data matching that reported by its neighbor’s meteorological authority.

Strong winds spawned by tropical storm Kabayan on Friday toppled electric posts and uprooted a few trees in Aurora causing power interruption in the entire province.