Latest News

‘Kiko’ places portions of Babuyan under Signal No. 4

Typhoon Kiko will bring highly destructive typhoon-force winds in the northeastern portion of the Babuyan Islands, which has been placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 4, the weather bureau said Friday.

Also affected are the extreme northeastern portion of Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga), the rest of the Babuyan Islands, and Batanes, all under TCWS No. 3.

TCWS No. 2 was hoisted over the northern, central, and eastern portions of mainland Cagayan (Aparri, Camalaniugan, Lal-Lo, Gattaran, Baggao, Peñablanca, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Tuguegarao City, Iguig, Amulung, Alcala, Allacapan, Lasam, Ballesteros, Abulug); the northeastern portion of Isabela (San Pablo, Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan); and the northeastern portion of Apayao (Flora, Santa Marcela, Luna, Pudtol)

All these areas will experience damaging gale-force to storm-force winds.

Strong winds will also prevail in areas under TCWS No. 1: the rest of mainland Cagayan; the eastern portion of Ilocos Norte Ilocos Norte (Pagudpud, Adams, Dumalneg, Bangui, Vintar, Carasi, Nueva Era, Burgos, Pasuquin, Bacarra, Laoag City, Piddig, Solsona, Dingras, Sarrat, San Nicolas); the rest of Apayao; the northern portion of Kalinga (Balbalan, Pinukpuk, City of Tabuk, Rizal), the eastern portion of Mountain Province (Paracelis); the northeastern portion of Abra (Tineg, Lacub, Malibcong); the northwestern and southeastern portions of Isabela (Santa Maria, Quezon, Mallig, Roxas, San Manuel, Cabatuan, Aurora, City of Cauayan, Angadanan, San Guillermo, Dinapigue, San Mariano, Cabagan, Santo Tomas, Delfin Albano, Tumauini, Quirino, Burgos, Gamu, Ilagan City, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Naguilian, Benito Soliven); and the northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran).

“Kiko” packs maximum sustained winds of 215 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 265 kph.

It was last seen 190 km. east of Aparri, Cagayan.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said “Kiko” will cause heavy to intense, with at times torrential rains.

Moderate to heavy, with at times intense rains will be experienced over the Ilocos and Cordillera regions, northern and central Aurora, and the rest of Cagayan Valley.

Flash floods and landslides are possible, especially in areas susceptible to these hazards.

“Kiko” also continues to enhance the southwest monsoon, bringing rains over the western section of Southern Luzon and Western Visayas.

Rough to phenomenal seas will be experienced over the seaboards of areas where TCWS is in effect. Sea travel is risky for all types of sea vessels.

Cagayan River risk

The risk of flooding and riverside erosion was also raised, according to Cagayan River Basin Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (CRBFFWC) duty forecaster Romy Ganal.

“Such rainfall can flood low-lying and poorly drained areas along and near Cagayan River and its tributaries,” he said in a statement.

The areas likely to be affected are San Agustin, Jones, Echague, Alicia, Angadanan, Cauayan, Naguilian, Reina Mercedes, San Mateo, Cabatuan, Aurora, and Luna along or near Upper Cagayan River and its tributaries; Gamu, Ilagan, San Mariano, Tumauini, Delfin Albano, Sto. Tomas, Cabagan, Sta. Maria, and San Pablo bordering Middle Cagayan River and its tributaries; Peñablanca, Tuguegarao City, Enrile, Solana, Iguig, Amulung, Alcala, Baggao, Lasam, Gattaran, Lallo, Camalaniugan, Aparri, Tuao, Piat, and Sto. Niño, adjacent to Lower Cagayan River and its tributaries.

Between 80 millimeters to 110 millimeters of rainfall is possible over the Cagayan River Basin during the 24-hour period ending noontime on Saturday, the CRBFFWC said.

Cagayan River Basin covers parts of Cagayan, Isabela, Mountain Province, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, and Quezon provinces.

The basin’s main waterway is Cagayan River which flows in a northerly direction from its head waters in Nueva Vizcaya to its mouth in Babuyan Channel near Aparri.

Aside from flooding, Ganal said riverside erosion can occur as soil along Cagayan River and tributaries is mostly clay sand.

Source: Philippines News Agency