TROPICAL STORM Basyang (international name: Sanba), which has accelerated as it moved closer to eastern Mindanao, is forecasted to make landfall within the Caraga Region today, Feb. 13. Weather bureau PAGASA, in its 5 p.m. report yesterday, said “scattered to widespread moderate to heavy rains will prevail in the next 24 hours over Visayas, Caraga, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula and the provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, North Cotabato, Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur.” Basyang was packing in maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. Sea travel was already affected yesterday with the Philippine Coast Guard reporting that as of 12 noon, the number of stranded were: 855 passengers; 99 rolling cargoes; 40 vessels; and three motorbancas. Affected ports were in Mindanao and the Visayas. Tropical cyclone warning signal #2 was already up yesterday in Surigao del Sur Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, while several other areas were under signal #1.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR