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(UPDATE) Tropical Storm “Lawin” continues to intensify, prompting the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to raise storm signal no. 2 over Eastern Samar.
In its 11:00 am update, PAGASA said “Lawin” will bring 61 to 100 kph winds in the Visayan province in at least 24 hours that may cause “moderate damage” to agriculture and uproot large trees.
The state weather bureau also hoisted storm signal no. 1 over Northern and Western Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, and Sorsogon provinces.
It warned residents in the affected provinces to expect 30 to 60 kph wind that could break twigs and branches of trees or tilt banana plants flat on the ground within 36 hours.
PAGASA also spotted the storm to be at about 395 kms east of Borongan, Eastern Samar with maximum sustained winds of 96 kph near its center and a gustiness of 120 kph.
State weather forecasters expect the “Lawin,” which measures 600 kms in diameter, to bring heavy to intense rains or 10 to 15 mm of rains per hour to nearby areas.
The storm is also anticipated to move slowly after changing course in a north northwest direction, staying over seas about 330 kms east of Borongan town by Sunday morning.
PAGASA weather observer Elvie Enriquez said the disturbance may not make landfall only coast along the eastern seaboard near Quezon, Aurora, Isabela, and Cagayan provinces.
Enriquez explained that the ridge of High Pressure Area in China pushes the storm to move northwest.
Amid questions hurled against its early partial proclamation, the poll body on Friday named three more winning Senate candidates even before it completed its official count.
