‘Salome’ gains strength

Nineteen areas, including Metro Manila, were placed under tropical cyclone warning signal No. 1 as the low-pressure area east of the country intensified into tropical depression “Salome” yesterday.

Signal No. 1 was hoisted over Metro Manila, Rizal, Bataan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, including Ticao and Burias Islands, Romblon, Marinduque, Quezon, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, and Occidental Mindoro.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration Administrator Vicente Malano said Bicol, Southern Luzon, and portions of Eastern Visayas will experience rains as Salome is expected to cross the country on its way to the West Philippine Sea.

PAGASA estimated the location of the tropical cyclone at 65 kilometers southwest of Pili, Camarines Sur at around 5 p.m. yesterday.

It has maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 90 kph and is moving west-northwest at 25 kph.

PAGASA weather forecaster Nikos Peñaranda said Salome was expected to traverse the Sibuyan Sea yesterday afternoon and cross northern Mindoro or Batangas last night or this morning. It made landfall over Northern Samar early last night.

Salome will bring scattered to widespread moderate to heavy rains and thunderstorms over areas under Signal No. 1 as well as the eastern section of Central Luzon.

Peñaranda warned of possible flash floods or landslides that may cause road closures in the areas affected by moderate to heavy rains.