MANILA, Philippines — At least seven cities in Metro Manila have been placed under Signal No. 1 due to Severe Tropical Storm Nika which may intensify into a typhoon today, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Sunday.
Nathaniel Servando, Pagasa administrator, said Nika may make landfall over Isabela or Aurora this afternoon.
Pagasa said the severe tropical storm will continue moving west northwestward over the West Philippine Sea while packing maximum sustained winds of 100 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 125 kph.
Estimated some 500 kilometers east of Infanta, Quezon, Nika, the 14th storm to hit the country this year, is moving westward at a faster pace of 30 kph.
It said that Signal No. 2 is up over Isabela, Quirino, the southern portion of Cagayan (Solana, Iguig, Peñablanca, Tuguegarao City and Enrile), Nueva Vizcaya, Kalinga, Mountain Province and Ifugao.
Meanwhile, Signal No. 1 was raised over the northern portion of Metro Manila (Navotas City, Valenzuela City, Malabon City, Caloocan City, Marikina City, Pasig City and Quezon City), the rest of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Apayao, Abra, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, the eastern and central portions of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Tayug, Natividad, San Quintin, Umingan, Basista, Villasis, Malasiqui, San Fabian, Urbiztondo, Bautista, Mangaldan, Mapandan, Rosales, Dagupan City, Binalonan, Aguilar, Alcala, San Manuel, Asingan, Santo Tomas, Pozorrubio, Santa Maria, City of Urdaneta, Laoac, Mangatarem, San Carlos City, Manaoag, Binmaley, San Jacinto, Bayambang, Calasiao, Santa Barbara, Balungao, Sison, Lingayen, Bugallon and Labrador).
Also under the same storm signal are La Union, Benguet, the rest of Aurora, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, the northeastern portion of Laguna (Santa Maria, Mabitac, Pakil, Pangil, Famy, Siniloan, Paete, Kalayaan, Cavinti, Lumban and Luisiana), the eastern portion of Quezon (Calauag, Guinayangan, Tagkawayan, Pitogo, San Andres, Buenavista, San Francisco, Pagbilao, Infanta, Lopez, Catanauan, Mulanay, Unisan, General Luna, Plaridel, Quezon, Alabat, Sampaloc, Padre Burgos, Macalelon, Mauban, Perez, Agdangan, Gumaca, Atimonan, Real, San Narciso, General Nakar, Lucban, City of Tayabas and Lucena City) including Pollilo Islands, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, and Albay (Malinao, Tiwi, Bacacay, City of Tabaco, Malilipot and Rapu-Rapu).
