MANILA -- At least 15 areas in the Visayas and Luzon have been placed under storm warning signals, as Tropical Storm "Karen" (Sakira) continues to intensify while moving closer to the Catanduanes-Camarines Sur area.
In its 11 a.m. Friday bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) 1 may be raised over Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya this afternoon (October 14).
As of noon Friday, Catanduanes and Camarines Sur were placed under TCWS 2, which means that these areas will experience 61 to 120 kilometers per hour (kph) of winds in 24 hours.
Placed under TCWS 1 (30 to 60 kph winds expected in 36 hours) were the provinces of Camarines Norte, Albay, Sorsogon, Quezon including Polillo Island, Aurora, Isabela, Quirino, Laguna, Rizal, Marinduque, Burias Island, and Northern Samar.
Pagasa said that Karen will bring moderate to heavy rains in areas within the storm's 400-kilometer diameter.
The weather bureau warned fisherfolk and those with small seacrafts against venturing out over the eastern seaboard of Eastern Samar.
It said Karen was located as of 10 a.m. Friday at 260 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes, packing maximum winds of up to 85 kph near the center and gusts of up to 105 kph.
The storm was forecast to move west northwest at 9 kph, and will be at
85 kilometers north northeast of Virac, Catanduanes, by Saturday morning; in the vicinity of Baler, Aurora, by Sunday morning; at 380 kilometers west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur, by Monday morning; at 770 kilometers north of Pagasa Island, Palawan by Tuesday morning; and
1,010 kilometers north northwest of Pagasa Island in Palawan by Wednesday. (LMY/Sunnex)