Severe Tropical Storm Aghon makes 9th landfall, gains more strength

MANILA, Philippines – Severe Tropical Storm Aghon (Ewiniar) made its ninth landfall in the island municipality of Patnanungan, which is part of Quezon province’s Polillo Islands, early Sunday evening, May 26.

Aghon was still located in the vicinity of Patnanungan at 7 pm on Sunday, as it continued to slowly move northeast toward the Philippine Sea.

The severe tropical storm slightly intensified further, with its maximum sustained winds now at 100 kilometers per hour from 95 km/h.

Its gustiness is already up to 150 km/h from the previous 130 km/h.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 8 pm bulletin that Aghon could strengthen into a typhoon by Monday afternoon, May 27. But this may also happen sometime in the next 12 hours, or by Monday morning.

While Aghon is already heading for the Philippine Sea, PAGASA warned that rain will continue in the next 24 hours. This may mean more floods or landslides for areas where the soil has become saturated due to prolonged rainfall.

Sunday evening, May 26, to Monday evening, May 27

• Greater than 200 mm: Quezon
• 100-200 mm: Aurora, eastern part of Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Metro Manila, Camarines Norte
• 50-100 mm: eastern part of Isabela, Nueva Ecija, rest of Bulacan, eastern part of Pampanga, Cavite, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Romblon, Burias Island, western part of Camarines Sur, Cuyo Islands, Aklan, Antique

Tropical cyclone wind signals have been lifted in a few areas, but the following are still under Signal Nos. 1, 2, and 3 as of 8 pm on Sunday:

Signal No. 3

Storm-force winds (89 to 117 km/h), moderate to significant threat to life and property

• Polillo Islands

Signal No. 2

Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property

• Aurora
• northern and central parts of Quezon (Alabat, Perez, Quezon, Gumaca, Lopez, Macalelon, General Luna, Unisan, Pitogo, Plaridel, Agdangan, Padre Burgos, Atimonan, General Nakar, Sampaloc, Pagbilao, Calauag, Lucban, Tayabas City, Lucena City, Tiaong, Candelaria, Sariaya, Dolores, San Antonio, Infanta, Real, Mauban)
• Laguna
• eastern part of Batangas (Tanauan City, San Jose, Lipa City, Mataasnakahoy, Balete, Malvar, Santo Tomas, Cuenca, Ibaan, Padre Garcia, Rosario, San Juan, Taysan)
• eastern part of Rizal (Jala-Jala, Pililla, Tanay, Cardona, Binangonan, Morong, Baras, Rodriguez, Antipolo City, Teresa)
• northern part of Camarines Norte (Santa Elena, Capalonga)

Signal No. 1

Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property

• eastern part of Isabela (Divilacan, San Mariano, San Guillermo, Jones, Echague, San Agustin, Ilagan City, Benito Soliven, Cauayan City, Maconacon, Angadanan, Naguilian, Palanan, Dinapigue)
• eastern part of Quirino (Maddela, Nagtipunan, Aglipay)
• southern part of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castañeda, Dupax del Sur, Dupax del Norte)
• eastern part of Nueva Ecija (General Tinio, Gabaldon, Bongabon, Pantabangan, Rizal, General Mamerto Natividad, Laur, Palayan City, Peñaranda, San Leonardo, Gapan City, Cabanatuan City, Santa Rosa, San Isidro, Cabiao, San Antonio, Jaen, Llanera)
• eastern part of Pampanga (Candaba, San Luis, San Simon, Apalit, Santa Ana, Arayat, Mexico, Sasmuan, Macabebe, Masantol, Santo Tomas, Minalin, San Fernando City, Bacolor)
• southeastern part of Bataan (Pilar, Orion, Limay, Mariveles)
• Bulacan
• Metro Manila
• rest of Rizal
• Cavite
• rest of Batangas
• rest of Quezon
• northeastern part of Oriental Mindoro (Pinamalayan, Pola, Naujan, Victoria, Socorro, Calapan City, Baco, San Teodoro, Puerto Galera)
• Marinduque
• rest of Camarines Norte
• northern part of Camarines Sur (Siruma, Tinambac, Milaor, Cabusao, Camaligan, Pili, Sipocot, Pamplona, Ragay, San Fernando, Magarao, Minalabac, Del Gallego, Libmanan, Naga City, Calabanga, Bombon, Canaman, Pasacao, Gainza, Lupi)

The weather bureau also said there is still a “minimal to moderate risk” of storm surges over the “exposed and low-lying coastal areas” of Cagayan, Isabela, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Burias Island within 24 hours.

The coastal waters of Aurora, Quezon, and Marinduque, as well as the southern coastal waters of Batangas and the northern coastal waters of Camarines Norte, remain under a gale warning, too. PAGASA said travel is risky for small vessels, “including all motorbancas of any type of tonnage.”

Outside those areas under the gale warning, Aghon will still cause moderate to rough seas in the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon and the seaboard of Bicol. Waves are 1.5 to 3.5 meters high, so small boats must take precautionary measures, or if possible, avoid sailing altogether.

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Aghon’s first eight landfalls occurred within a roughly 29-hour period:

Friday, May 24

• Homonhon Island, Guiuan, Eastern Samar – 11:20 pm

Saturday, May 25

• Giporlos, Eastern Samar – 12:40 am
• Basiao Island, Catbalogan City, Samar – 4 am
• Cagduyong Island, Catbalogan City, Samar – 5 am
• Batuan, Ticao Island, Masbate – 10:20 am
• Masbate City, Masbate – 10:40 am
• Torrijos, Marinduque – 10 pm

Sunday, May 26

• Lucena City, Quezon – 4:30 am

Aghon is projected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday, May 29.

It is the country’s first tropical cyclone for 2024. (READ: LIST: Philippine tropical cyclone names in 2024)

PAGASA previously estimated that one or two tropical cyclones could form within or enter PAR in May. – Rappler.com