MANILA, Philippines – Severe Tropical Storm Verbena (international name: Koto) exited the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) Thursday morning, according to the state weather bureau.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), in its early morning update, said that as of 3 a.m., Verbana was outside the PAR and some 240 kilometers north-northeast of Pag-asa Island, Kalayaan, Palawan.
Verbena continues to move west-northwest at 20 kilometers per hour (kph), maintaining maximum sustained winds of 110 kph and gusts up to 135 kph.
Pagasa said the cyclone is still bringing strong winds of 39 to 61 kph to the Kalayaan Islands, which remain under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal no. 1. Rain due to Verbana and its trough or extension is also forecast in the Kalayaan Islands and the rest of Palawan, Pagasa added.
Pagasa likewise warned of possible flash floods or landslides in rain-affected areas.