By J. Jala | 11:40 AM February 21, 2021
Tropical Storm Auring maintained its strength and moved closer to the Visayas and Mindanao where Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) number 2 was raised in some parts Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), in its 11a.m. severe weather bulletin, said Signal Number 2 is up over the following areas:
-Visayas
The central and southern portions of Eastern Samar (Sulat, Taft, San Julian, Borongan City, Maydolong, Balangkayan, Balangiga, Lawaan, Llorente, Hernani, General Macarthur, Quinapondan, Giporlos, Salcedo, Mercedes, Guiuan)
-Mindanao
Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands
Meanwhile, TCWS 1 is up over the following areas:
-Luzon
Sorsogon, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Albay, Catanduanes, and the eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Presentacion, Sagnay, Buhi, Iriga City, Nabua, Bato, Balatan)
-Visayas
Northern Samar, the rest of Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor, Negros Oriental, the northern and central portions of Negros Occidental (Kabankalan City, Himamaylan City, Binalbagan, Isabela, Moises Padilla, Hinigaran, La Castellana, Pontevedra, San Enrique, La Carlota City, Pulupandan, Valladolid, Bago City, Murcia, Bacolod City, Talisay City, Silay City, Enrique B. Magalona, Victorias City, Manapla, Cadiz City, Sagay City, Escalante City, Toboso, Calatrava, San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto), the eastern portion of Iloilo (San Rafael, Barotac Viejo, Lemery, Ajuy, Sara, Concepcion, San Dionisio, Batad, Estancia, Balasan, Carles), and the eastern portion of Capiz (Roxas City, Panitan, Ma-Ayon,
Cuartero, Dumarao, Panay, Pontevedra, President Roxas, Pilar)
-Mindanao
Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao City, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, and Bukidnon
Auring was last spotted at 10 a.m. some 395 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 80 kph while moving west northwest at 15 kph.
Heavy rains are expected on Sunday in Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur, while light to moderate rains are expected inthe Bicol region, Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula, Quezon and the rest of the Visayas and Caraga regions.
“In the next 24 hours, rough to very rough seas will be experienced over the seaboards of areas under TCWS (2.6 to 5.0 m) and the eastern seaboard of Luzon not under TCWS (2.6 to 4.5 m),” Pagasa warned.
“Rough seas (2.5 to 4.0 m) will prevail over the southern seaboard of Luzon (including the eastern seaboard of Palawan), the remaining seaboards of Visayas, and the northern, eastern, and western seaboards of Mindanao that are not under any TCWS. Sea travel is risky for all types of sea vessels over these waters,” the state weather bureau added.