Auring Intensifies to Tropical Storm as it Heads for Cebu

Cebu is on the track of now Tropical Storm Auring (TS Auring) according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

According to PAGASA, TS Auring has intensified as a tropical storm as of Thursday, February 18, 2021, with a maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 80 km/h.

Image Source PAGASA

The tropical storm is slowly traversing in the northwestward direction.

As of 10:00 AM weather bulletin of PAGASA, is last spotted at 685 km East Southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur (07.1 °N, 132.4 °E ).

Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) of Cebu had a meeting at the provincial Cebu Provincial Capitol to prepare for the coming tropical storm.

PDRRMO Chief Niel Sanches said that they are planning to raise the alert level to blue alert status. Sanchez will also try to communicate with the disaster offices of the cities and municipalities in the province to identify and prepare evacuation centers for evacuees.

Blue Alert Status means that half of NDRRMC disaster officials are on standby in case of an emergency.

The tropical storm is predicted to hit Cebu on Sunday.

TS Auring is the first storm to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) this year. (ASC)