The provincial government of Cagayan has suspended classes from preschool to senior high school for today as Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 was raised in several areas in northern Luzon due to Tropical Storm “Maring.”
Signal No. 2 was also raised over Isabela, Kalinga and Ilocos Norte as Maring was moving west northwestward over the Philippine Sea east of Cagayan, government weather forecasters said Sunday.
Its center was estimated at 645 kilometers east of the provincial capital of Tuguegarao City, or 655 km east of Aparri at the mouth of the Cagayan River.
Packing maximum sustained winds of 85 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 105 km/h and central pressure 990 hPa, with winds extending 750 kms from the storm's center, “Maring” was moving west northwestward at 20 km/hr.
Signal No. 1 was raised over the rest of Ilocos Norte as well as Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, some parts of Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, the rest of Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, parts of Aurora (Dilasag, Dinalungan, Casiguran, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler), parts of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Lupao, Pantabangan, San Jose City), Catanduanes.
It was also raised in the Visayas provinces of Eastern Samar, parts of Northern Samar (San Roque, Pambujan, Las Navas, Catubig, Laoang, Mapanas, Lapinig, Gamay, Palapag, Mondragon, Silvino Lobos) and Samar (Matuguinao, San Jose de Buan, Hinabangan, Paranas).
“Maring” is forecast to gradually intensify and may be upgraded to a severe tropical storm within the next 12 hours, weathermen said.
It is expected to move over Luzon Strait and may pass close over the Babuyan Islands between Monday afternoon and Tuesday early morning.
The possibility of a landfall over mainland Luzon is not ruled out, weathermen said.
“Afterwards, the storm will continue to move westward through the remainder of the forecast period and may exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Tuesday morning or afternoon,” they said.
Weathermen said areas under TCWS No. 1 have strong winds (strong breeze to near gale conditions) with higher gusts prevailing or may be expected within 36 hours. This may result in very light damage to structures and vegetation.