BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Tropical Storm Dante has slightly weakened but will still bring rains over parts of the country, a state forecaster said yesterday afternoon.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 has been raised by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration over the northeastern portion of Negros Occidental, including Manapla, Cadiz City, Sagay City, City of Escalante, Toboso, Victorias City, and Calatrava, as of its 5 p.m. bulletin.
In its 11 a.m. bulletin yesterday, TCWS1 was hoisted over Bacolod City and 13 areas in northern Negros, and this promoted the Philippine Coast Guard to suspend travel between Iloilo and Bacolod, and Escalante and San Carlos City to Cebu, until further notice.
TCWS No. 1, with strong winds prevailing or expected within 36 hours, was also raised over Rizal, Laguna, the southeastern portion of Batangas, Quezon including Polillo Islands, the rest of Camarines Norte, Marinduque, and Romblon in Luzon; the northeastern portion of Aklan, the northeastern portion of Capiz, the northeastern portion of Iloilo, the northern portion of Cebu, the northeastern potion of Bohol, and the rest of Leyte and Southern Leyte in the Visayas; and Surigao del Norte, including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, Dinagat Island, the northern portion of Agusan del Norte, the northern portion of Agusan del Sur, and the northern portion of Surigao del Sur in Mindanao, PAGASA said in its 5 p.m. weather advisory.
TCWS No. 2, with damaging gale-force winds prevailing or expected within 24 hours, was hoisted over Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, southern portion of Camarines Norte, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Island, Albay, and Sorsogon in Luzon, and Eastern Samar, Samar, Northern Samar, Biliran, and the northeastern portion of Leyte in the Visayas.
PAGASA said “Dante” has maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour and gustiness up to 80 km/h. It will continue moving generally northwestward until tonight, and is forecast to make its initial landfall over Eastern Samar last night and early this morning. “The tropical cyclone is more likely to remain as a tropical storm category prior to landfall.”*with reports from PNA
