By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) yesterday issued public warnings regarding Tropical Storm Vinta as it is poised to strike the eastern portion of Mindanao today, along with declaring a Storm Signal #1 over the southern part of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental.

The storm is expected to make landfall over the southern part of Negros sometime today or tomorrow.

According to a weather bulletin as of 1:00 p.m. yesterday, Vinta was last spotted 260 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur; moving west at 21 kilometers per hour (kph).

The storm is recording maximum sustained winds of 65 kph, with gusts reaching 80 kph.

PAGASA also sent out warnings to local government units and residents in the storm’s path, urging them not to take the storm for a “joke.”

Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) in Negros Occidental is already prepared for any eventuality and could order an evacuation for residents in southern Negros at anytime./DGB, WDJ