Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-wong) intensified further and started to pick up speed, state meteorologists said on early Sunday morning.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) 2:00 a.m. update, Uwan was last seen 370 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes.
It is currently packing maximum sustained winds of 165 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 205 kph. Uwan is still moving west-northwest at a speed of 35 kph.
Due to Uwan’s relatively faster pace, Pagasa warned that the typhoon may make landfall over the Isabela-Aurora area by Sunday night instead of Monday morning.
‘Because of its faster movement, it is possible that Uwan would make landfall at the Isabela-Aurora area by Sunday night. We can see based on our latest satellite images that the cyclone has a huge diameter, and it can affect a huge part of Luzon and Visayas, especially areas where the center of the storm would pass through,’ weather specialist Obet Badrina said in Filipino.
However, Badrina said Pagasa is also not ruling out the possibility of a landfall or a close approach over Catanduanes, as Uwan moves closer to the Bicol Region. According to Pagasa’s forecast track, Uwan would be over the coastal waters of Pandan, Catanduanes, by 11:00 a.m. of Sunday.
‘We can see that there is a possibility that the sidewall of Uwan’s eye, which is the strongest part of a cyclone, would hit parts of Catanduanes. This may happen by Sunday morning, during which Uwan is closest to Bicol, particularly the eastern side of the area,’ he said.
‘That’s why we are not ruling out the possibility that the center of the cyclone would hit Catanduanes, it can still happen,’ he added.
As of now, more areas have been placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4:
southeastern portion of Camarines Norte (Mercedes, Basud, Daet, Talisay, Vinzons)
eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Sagñay, Tigaon, Goa, Calabanga, Tinambac, Siruma, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, San Jose, Presentacion, Caramoan, Cabusao)
Catanduanes
eastern portion of Albay (Rapu-Rapu, Bacacay, City of Tabaco, Malilipot, Malinao, Tiwi)
Signal No. 3:
Luzon:
central and southern portions of Isabela (Alicia, San Mariano, Ramon, Naguilian, Dinapigue, San Guillermo, City of Cauayan, Echague, Angadanan, Benito Soliven, City of Santiago, San Agustin, Palanan, San Isidro, Cordon, Jones)
Quirino
eastern and southern portions of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castañeda, Dupax del Norte, Santa Fe, Kasibu, Aritao, Diadi, Dupax del Sur, Quezon)
Aurora
eastern and central portions of Nueva Ecija (City of Gapan, San Leonardo, Rizal, San Isidro, Laur, Llanera, Pantabangan, Palayan City, Gabaldon, General Mamerto Natividad, Cabanatuan City, Carranglan, General Tinio, San Jose City, Santa Rosa, Peñaranda, Jaen, Bongabon, Cabiao)
Bulacan
eastern portion of Pampanga (Mexico, San Luis, Santa Ana, Macabebe, Arayat, Candaba, Masantol, Santo Tomas, San Simon, Minalin, Apalit)
Metro Manila
Quezon including Pollilo Islands
Laguna
Rizal
eastern portion of Batangas (Padre Garcia, Santo Tomas, Lipa City, City of Tanauan, Mataasnakahoy, Balete, San Juan, Rosario, Malvar, Talisay, San Nicolas)
eastern portion of Cavite (Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Noveleta, Silang, City of Dasmariñas, Carmona, Kawit, Tagaytay City, Bacoor City, Imus City, Cavite City)
the rest of Camarines Norte
the rest of Camarines Sur
the rest of Albay
Sorsogon
Ticao and Burias Islands
Visayas:
Northern Samar
northern portion of Eastern Samar (Jipapad, Arteche, San Policarpo, Oras, Dolores, Maslog)
northern portion of Samar (Calbayog City, Matuguinao, Gandara, Santa Margarita)
Signal No. 2:
Luzon:
mainland Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
the rest of Isabela
the rest of Nueva Vizcaya
Apayao
Abra
Kalinga
Mountain Province
Ifugao
Benguet
Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Sur
La Union
Pangasinan
the rest of Nueva Ecija
Tarlac
the rest of Pampanga
Zambales
Bataan
the rest of Cavite
the rest of Batangas
Marinduque
northern and eastern portions of Romblon (Banton, Cajidiocan, Romblon, San Andres, Magdiwang, Calatrava, San Agustin, San Fernando, Concepcion, Corcuera)
northern and central portions of Oriental Mindoro (Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, Baco, City of Calapan, Naujan, Pola, Victoria, Socorro, Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong)
northern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Abra de Ilog, Paluan) including Lubang Islands
mainland Masbate
Visayas:
central portion of Eastern Samar (Can-Avid, City of Borongan, Taft, Sulat, San Julian, Maydolong)
central portion of Samar (Tagapul-An, Santo Niño, Almagro, San Sebastian, Jiabong, City of Catbalogan, Motiong, Tarangnan, Paranas, Hinabangan, San Jose de Buan, San Jorge, Pagsanghan, Calbiga, Pinabacdao, Villareal, Zumarraga, Daram, Talalora)
Biliran
Signal No. 1:
Luzon:
Batanes
the rest of Romblon
the rest of Oriental Mindoro
the rest of Occidental Mindoro
Calamian Islands
Cuyo Islands
Visayas:
the rest of Samar,
the rest of Eastern Samar
Leyte
Southern Leyte
Bohol
northern and central portions of Cebu (Medellin, Daanbantayan, City of Bogo, Tabogon, San Remigio, Tabuelan, Borbon, Sogod, Tuburan, Catmon, Carmen, Danao City, Compostela, Liloan, Consolacion, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Cordova, Asturias, Cebu City, Balamban, City of Talisay, Toledo City, Minglanilla, Dumanjug, Argao, Sibonga, Barili, Ronda, Moalboal, Badian, Dalaguete, Alcantara, City of Carcar, City of Naga, San Fernando, Pinamungahan, Aloguinsan) including Bantayan and Camotes Islands
northern and central portions of Negros Occidental (City of Escalante, Toboso, Sagay City, Cadiz City, Calatrava, Manapla, City of Victorias, Enrique B. Magalona, Silay City, City of Talisay, San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto, Murcia, Bacolod City, Hinigaran, City of Himamaylan, Binalbagan, Isabela, Moises Padilla, La Castellana, Pontevedra, San Enrique, La Carlota City, Bago City, Valladolid, Pulupandan)
northern portion of Negros Oriental (Canlaon City, Jimalalud, La Libertad, Tayasan, Vallehermoso, City of Guihulngan)
Guimaras
Iloilo
Capiz
Aklan
Antique
Mindanao:
Dinagat Islands
Surigao del Norte
northern portion of Agusan del Norte (Tubay, Santiago, Jabonga, Kitcharao)
northern portion of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza, Cortes)
Several local government units (LGUs) have declared class and government work suspensions for Monday, November 10, in anticipation of Typhoon Uwan’s possible impact.
Among the areas that have declared class suspensions are the provinces of Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur – some of the provinces expected to be directly hit by Uwan.
Classes in all levels, both public and private, have been suspended, along with work in the government, except for those involved in frontline and vital emergency and rescue-related services.
The entire Metro Manila, save for the City of Makati, has also suspended classes in all levels. /mr