'Pepito' makes 2nd landfall in Aurora, traversing Luzon landmass

MANILA – Super Typhoon Pepito (international name Man-yi) maintained its strength after making landfall in the province of Aurora and is traversing the landmass of Luzon.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Pepito made landfall in the vicinity of Dipaculao, Aurora at 3:20 p.m. Sunday and is now in the vicinity of Nagtipunan town in Quirino.

The super typhoon maintained its strength, packing maximum sustained winds of up to 185 km. per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 305 kph. It is moving northwest at 25 kph.

Pepito made its first landfall in Panganiban, Catanduanes on Saturday night.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 5 is in effect over the central portion of Aurora (Dipaculao, Baler, Dinalungan, Maria Aurora, Casiguran, San Luis), the southern portion of Quirino (Nagtipunan), and the southern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castañeda, Dupax del Norte, Dupax del Sur, Kasibu, Aritao, Bambang).

TCWS No. 4 is hoisted over the rest of Aurora, the rest of Nueva Vizcaya, the rest of Quirino, the southern portion of Ifugao (Kiangan, Lamut, Tinoc, Asipulo, Lagawe), Benguet, the southern portion of Ilocos Sur (Alilem, Sugpon, Suyo, Santa Cruz, Tagudin), La Union, the eastern portion of Pangasinan (Sison, Tayug, Binalonan, San Manuel, Asingan, San Quintin, Santa Maria, Natividad, San Nicolas, Balungao, Pozorrubio, Laoac, San Jacinto, San Fabian, Manaoag, City of Urdaneta, Rosales, Umingan, Mangaldan, Mapandan, Villasis, Santo Tomas), and the northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Gabaldon, Laur, Bongabon, Pantabangan, Rizal, General Mamerto Natividad, Lupao, San Jose City, Llanera, Carranglan, Science City of Muñoz, Talugtug, Cuyapo).

Meanwhile, the southern portion of Isabela (San Agustin, Jones, Echague, San Guillermo, Angadanan, Alicia, San Mateo, Ramon, San Isidro, City of Santiago, Cordon, Dinapigue, Roxas, Aurora, Cabatuan, City of Cauayan, Luna, San Mariano, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Reina Mercedes, San Manuel, Burgos), the rest of Ifugao, Mountain Province, the southern portion of Kalinga (Pasil, Tanudan, Lubuagan, Tinglayan), the southern portion of Abra (Tubo, Luba, Pilar, Villaviciosa, San Isidro, Pidigan, Langiden, San Quintin, Bangued, Manabo, Boliney, Peñarrubia, Bucloc, Sallapadan, Bucay), the rest of Ilocos Sur, the rest of Pangasinan, the northern and eastern portions of Tarlac (Paniqui, La Paz, Moncada, City of Tarlac, Gerona, Pura, San Clemente, Santa Ignacia, Victoria, Camiling, Concepcion, Ramos, San Manuel, Anao), the rest of Nueva Ecija, the northern portion of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Miguel), and the northern portion of Quezon (Infanta, General Nakar) including Polillo Islands are under TCWS No. 3.

TCWS No. 2 is in effect over the rest of Isabela, the southwestern portion of mainland Cagayan (Enrile, Tuao, Solana, Tuguegarao City, Piat, Rizal), the rest of Kalinga, the southern portion of Apayao (Conner, Kabugao), the rest of Abra, Ilocos Norte, Zambales, the rest of Tarlac, the northern portion of Bataan (Orani, Abucay, Hermosa, Samal, Dinalupihan), Pampanga, the rest of Bulacan, Metro Manila, Rizal, the northeastern portion of Laguna (Santa Cruz, Pila, Mabitac, Paete, Pagsanjan, Pangil, Santa Maria, Siniloan, Cavinti, Kalayaan, Lumban, Pakil, Famy), and the central portion of Quezon (Sampaloc, Mauban, Perez, Real)

TCWS No. 1, meanwhile, is hoisted over the rest of mainland Cagayan, the rest of Apayao, the rest of Bataan, Cavite, the rest of Laguna, Batangas, the rest of Quezon, the northern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Abra de Ilog, Paluan) including Lubang Islands, the northern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, Naujan, Baco, City of Calapan), Marinduque, Camarines Norte, and the northern portion of Camarines Sur (Libmanan, Tinambac, Siruma, Cabusao, Canaman, Magarao, Calabanga, Bombon, Sipocot, Ragay, Del Gallego, Lupi, Lagonoy, Goa, Garchitorena, Pasacao, Pamplona, Camaligan, Gainza)

Pepito is forecast to cross the northern portion of Central Luzon and the southern portion of Northern Luzon via the upland regions of the Sierra Madre, Caraballo, and Cordillera Central.

It is forecast to exit the landmass of Luzon on Sunday night or early Monday morning. (PNA)