DAVAO CITY—Storm signals over Davao Region were lowered Thursday morning as Typhoon Queenie continued to pound Southern Visayas, state weather bureau PAG-ASA said.
In a weather bulletin no. 5 issued by PAG-ASA 5:00 am Thursday, Typhoon Queenie is expected to cross southern Cebu and Negros Oriental this morning and will be over Southern Negros Occidental before noon today.
By Friday morning, Queenie, packing maximum winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center, is expected to be 100 km north of Puerto Princesa City, and at 590 km west northwest of Puerto Princesa City by Saturday morning outside the Philippines.
PAG-ASA has forecast the typhoon to move west northwest at 24 kph.
Public Storm Signal No. 1 was hoisted initially in Mindanao, specifically in Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Dinagat Province, Camiguin,Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Bukidnon,Zamboanga del Norte. But it was lowered later after it moved towards the Visayas.
Signal No. 1 was also raised in the Visayas: Southern Leyte, Bohol,Southern Cebu Including Cebu City,Negros Oriental,Southern Negros Occidental, Siquijor Guimaras Island,Iloilo and Antique while in Luzon, Palawan including the Calamian Group of Islands.
PAG-ASA said that Queenie was estimated to bring a rainfall amount of 7 – 15 mm per hour (moderate – heavy) within the 300 km diameter.
PAG-ASA warned that residents in low lying and mountainous areas of the provinces with Storm Signal No. 1 as well as the rest of Mindanao are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides.
Fisherfolks and those with small seacrafts are advised not to venture out over the Eastern seaboard of Visayas, said PAG-ASA. (davaotoday.com)
