Storm 'Quinta' intensifies, threatens more areas

Weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration on Monday said "Quinta" has strengthened into a tropical storm.

In its latest update, PAGASA said the storm is estimated to be at 220 km east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

"Quinta has intensified into a tropical storm as it continues to move towards Eastern Visayas,"PAGASA added.

Signal number 2 is declared over Eastern Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Dinagat Province and Siargao Island, while signal number 1 is declared over Northern Samar, Western Samar, Biliran, Bohol and Cebu including Camotes Island, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan Provinces, Misamis Oriental and Camiguin.

The storm is expected to be in the vicinity of Leyte Wednesday morning and in the vicinity of Coron, Palawan by Thursday morning. By Friday morning, it is expected to be at 450 km west of Coron, Palawan.

"Estimated rainfall amount is from 10 to 20 mm per hour (heavy - intense) within the 350 km diameter of the storm. Residents living in low lying and mountainous areas under public storm warning signal no. 2 and  no. 1 are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides. Likewise, those living in coastal areas under public storm warning signal  no. 2 are alerted against big waves or storm surges generated by this tropical cyclone," PAGASA said.

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Earlier, PAGASA said  Quinta has moved closer to Surigao City.

At 8 a.m., PAGASA said Quinta was estimated to be at 330 kilometers east of Surigao City, moving closer than the estimated 400 km east of Surigao City as of 4 a.m.

The weather bureau also warned fishing boats and other small seacraft to stay away from venturing out into the seaboards of Luzon and over the eastern seaboard of Visayas and Mindanao owing to the tropical depression and the northeast monsoon.

As of 12 noon today, the center of Tropical Storm Wukong (Quinta) was tracked by typhoon2000.com over the Philippine Sea, about 299 km southeast of Borongan City, Eastern Samar or 322 km east-southeast of Tacloban City, Leyte and was moving west to west-northwest with a forward speed of 19 km/hr in the general direction of Leyte-Southern Samar-Panay Area.

Typhoon2000 expects 'Quinta' to make landfall over Eastern Leyte later tonight as it continue to enhance the Northeast Monsoon (Amihan) and bring moderate to strong winds with "on-and-off" rains across the Bicol Region, Eastern & Southern Luzon today. (From Philstar.com)