Severe tropical storm Vinta made landfall over Cateel, Davao Oriental, around 1:45am this morning, state weather bureau PAGASA said.
It brought strong winds and heavy rains as it moved near Boston, Davao Oriental, PAGASA said in its 5am advisory.
The tropical cyclone is currently packing maximum sustained winds of 90 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 125 kph.
Tropical cyclone warning signal no. 2 has been raised over the following areas:
Siquijor
Southern Negros Oriental
Surigao del Norte
Siargao Islands
Surigao del Sur
Agusan del Norte
Agusan del Sur
Northern Davao Oriental
Compostela Valley
Davao del Norte
Camiguin
Bukidnon
Misamis Oriental
Lanao del Norte
Lanao del Sur
Misamis Occidental
Eastern Zamboanga del Norte
Eastern Zamboanga del Sur
Signal no. 1 has been hoisted over the following areas:
Southern Leyte,
Southern portion of Leyte
Bohol
Southern Cebu
The rest of Negros Oriental
Southern Negros Occidental
Dinagat Island
The rest of Davao Oriental
Davao del Sur
North Cotabato
Maguindanao
The rest of Zamboanga del Norte
The rest of Zamboanga del Sur
Zamboanga Sibugay
PAGASA warned that sea travel is risky over the seaboards of areas under the cyclone warning signals.
The storm is forecast to move west at 20 k/ph and exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Christmas Day.
Meanwhile, some 4,000 families were evacuated in Surigao del Sur, which is at risk of serious flooding as the storm threatens to dump heavy rains.
