EMERGENCY MEETING. The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur discusses preparations for Tropical Depression Kabayan on Sunday (Dec. 17, 2023). The province has been placed on red alert, which mandates forced evacuation and activation of all emergency and evacuation centers. (Photo courtesy of Hinatuan LGU Facebook)
MANILA – The center of Tropical Depression Kabayan was estimated based on all available data at 385 kilometers (km) east of Davao City or 315 km east southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur as of the 5 p.m. bulletin of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 in the Visayas is in effect in Southern Leyte and Leyte; southern portion of Samar (Basey, Santa Rita, Marabut, Talalora, Villareal, Pinabacdao); southern portion of Eastern Samar (Maydolong, City of Borongan, Quinapondan, Guiuan, Lawaan, Balangiga, Llorente, Giporlos, Salcedo, Balangkayan, General Macarthur, Hernani, Mercedes); Cebu including Camotes Islands and Bantayan Islands; and Bohol and Siquijor.
In Mindanao, the affected areas are Dinagat Islands; Surigao del Norte; Surigao del Sur; northern portion of Davao Oriental (Cateel, Boston, Baganga, Manay, Caraga); Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Bukidnon, Agusan del Sur, Davao de Oro, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, and Lanao del Sur; northern and central portion of Davao del Norte (Santo Tomas, New Corella, Braulio E. Dujali, City of Panabo, Asuncion, City of Tagum, Talaingod, Carmen, Kapalong, San Isidro); Davao City; northern portion of Cotabato (Arakan, Carmen, Banisilan, Alamada, President Roxas, Kabacan, Matalam, Antipas, Magpet); and northern portion of Maguindanao (Buldon, Barira, Matanog).
Additional provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao may be placed under TCWS No. 1 in the next PAGASA bulletin.
Surigao del Sur is still recovering from the damage caused by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake on Dec. 2.
Governor Alexander Pimentel has placed the province on red alert through the issuance of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council Advisory No. 2.
All mayors must enforce forced evacuations, activate emergency centers and ensure the availability of evacuation centers. Work in government and private offices are suspended Monday.
In addition, the shear line coinciding with the passage of Kabayan may bring heavy rainfall over the eastern portion of Luzon on Monday.
Kabayan is forecast to track generally westward or west northwestward path across the Philippine archipelago over the next two days and is likely to maintain it strength until its initial landfall over Mindanao. However, the possibility of reaching tropical storm category pre-landfall is not ruled out.
On the track forecast, it is likely to make landfall along the coast of Surigao del Sur or Davao Oriental Sunday night or early Monday morning, cross the rugged terrain of Mindanao, and emerge over Bohol Sea or Sulu Sea until the afternoon.
For the remainder of Monday and into early morning of Tuesday, Kabayan will move across the Sulu Sea south of Cuyo Islands, make another landfall over central or southern Palawan as a tropical depression by Tuesday morning, and emerge over the Philippine Sea by noon or early afternoon of the same day. (With a report from Alexander Lopez/PNA)
