• CHERYL G. CRUZ
“Aghon”, the first weather disturbance to hit the country this year amid the prolonged El Niño, has intensified into severe tropical storm, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said May 26.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 has also been raised over the eastern section of Quezon, including Infanta, Real, Mauban, with several areas inundated, and Polillo Islands, the weather bureau said in its 5 p.m. bulletin.
TCWS No. 2 is in effect over Aurora, the northern and central portions of Quezon, Laguna, the eastern portion of Batangas, the eastern and central portions of Rizal, and the northern portion of Camarines Norte.
The eastern portion of Isabela, the eastern portion of Quirino, the southern portion of Nueva Vizcaya, eastern and southern portions of Nueva Ecija, the southern portion of Bataan, the eastern portion of Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, the rest of Quezon, the rest of Rizal, the rest of Batangas, the northern and central portions of Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, the extreme northern portion of Romblon, the rest of Camarines Norte, and Camarines Sur, meanwhile, are under TCWS No. 1, the DOST-PAGASA said.
The center of “Aghon” was estimated over the coastal waters of Mauban, Quezon, with maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 130 km/h, and central pressure of 992 hPa.
In the next 24 hours, the PAG-ASA said there is minimal to moderate risk of storm surge over the exposed and low-lying coastal areas of Cagayan, Isabela, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mindoro provinces, Marinduque, Romblon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Burias Island.
“Aghon” is forecast to reach typhoon category by this afternoon, May 27, and may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on May 29, it added. | CGC
