More areas under storm alerts as 'Florita' keeps strength

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 22) — The national weather bureau listed more areas under storm alerts as Tropical Storm Florita moves closer to land.

In its 8 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) spotted Florita 145 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora, with sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 90 kph. It continues to move slowly westward.

Signal No. 2 is up in Cagayan, the southern portion of Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Quirino, the eastern and central portions of Nueva Vizcaya, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, the northern portion of Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and the northern and central portions of Aurora.

These areas may have winds of greater than 61 kph up to 120 kph in the next 24 hours.

The rest of Babuyan Islands, the rest of Nueva Vizcaya, the rest of Benguet, La Union, the eastern and central portions of Pangasinan, the eastern portion of Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, the rest of Aurora, the eastern portion of Pampanga, the eastern portion of Bulacan, the eastern portion of Rizal, the northern portion of Quezon including Polillo Islands, the northern portion of Laguna, and Camarines Norte are under Signal No. 1.

Areas under Signal No. 1 may have winds of 30-60 kph or intermittent rains within 36 hours.

PAGASA said Florita may make landfall either in Cagayan or Isabela early Tuesday morning. It will cut across Northern Luzon as it exits landmass through the West Philippine Sea either Tuesday evening or early Wednesday.

The state weather bureau added that a gale warning remains in effect over the northern, eastern, and southern seaboards of Luzon and western seaboard of Visayas. It reminded fishing boats and other small seacraft to avoid going out to sea.