MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Aghon has crossed Homonhon Island and made landfall in the municipality of Giporlos, both in the province of Eastern Samar, the weather bureau announced past 2 am on Saturday, May 25.
Aghon was last spotted in the vicinity of Giporlos’ neighboring town of Balangiga, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
The tropical depression continues to move northwest at 20 kilometers per hour (km/h).
It also maintained its strength, with maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h and gustiness of up to 70 km/h.
Areas affected by Aghon should watch out for floods and landslides during the weekend as the tropical depression dumps heavy rain.
Saturday, May 25
- 100-200 millimeters (mm): Albay, Sorsogon, Eastern Visayas, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands
- 50-100 mm: southeastern part of Quezon, rest of Bicol, northern part of Western Visayas, northern part of Cebu
Sunday, May 26
- 100-200 mm: Bicol
- 50-100 mm: Polillo Islands, southern part of Quezon, Northern Samar
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Aghon also continues to bring strong winds. PAGASA added Quezon province’s Polillo Islands to the list of areas under Signal No. 1, but some areas in Mindanao were removed. Below is the full list as of 2 am on Saturday.
- Polillo Islands
- southeastern part of Quezon (Calauag, Guinayangan, Lopez, Buenavista, Catanauan, Mulanay, San Narciso, San Francisco, San Andres, Tagkawayan)
- Camarines Norte
- Camarines Sur
- Catanduanes
- Albay
- Sorsogon
- Masbate including Ticao Island and Burias Island
- Northern Samar
- Samar
- Eastern Samar
- Biliran
- Leyte
- Southern Leyte
- extreme northern part of Cebu (San Remigio, Tabogon, Bogo City, Medellin, Daanbantayan, Borbon) including Camotes Islands and Bantayan Island
- northeastern part of Bohol (President Carlos P. Garcia, Bien Unido, Trinidad, Anda, Candijay, Ubay, Mabini, Alicia, San Miguel, Talibon)
- Dinagat Islands
- Surigao del Norte including Siargao Island and Bucas Grande Island
- northern part of Surigao del Sur (Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Carrascal, Lanuza, Cortes)
- northern part of Agusan del Norte (Kitcharao, Jabonga, Santiago, Tubay)
On Saturday, Aghon will also cause moderate to rough seas, with waves 1.5 to 3.5 meters high, in the seaboards of Bicol, the southern seaboard of Quezon, the eastern seaboard of Eastern Visayas, the western seaboard of Samar and Northern Samar, and the eastern seaboard of Caraga.
The weather bureau advised small boats to take precautionary measures, or if possible, to avoid sailing altogether.
After its landfall in Eastern Samar, Aghon is projected to cross other parts of Samar Island and then emerge over the Samar Sea-San Bernardino Strait area on Saturday morning.
Between Saturday afternoon and early Sunday morning, May 26, it will maintain its northwest movement and cross the Bicol Peninsula. Afterwards, it may emerge over the waters north of Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur by Sunday morning. PAGASA added that Aghon could strengthen into a tropical storm during this time.
Also on Sunday, Aghon could start recurving toward the northeast. It may keep gaining strength over the Philippine Sea and eventually intensify into a typhoon on Tuesday, May 28.
It might leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday as well.
Aghon 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