Signal 2 over NCR, Luzon; no classes up to high school

(Update 2 - 1:10 am July 14) Storm Signal No. 2 has been raised over Metro Manila and 14 Luzon provinces late Tuesday night, as typhoon "Basyang" made a landfall in northern Quezon and is currently crossing Central Luzon provinces, according to the 11:00 p.m. advisory of the state weather bureau. According to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), tropical storm Basyang has weakened somewhat as it made landfall over Northern Quezon Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, on the basis of the latest PAGASA advisory, classes are deemed automatically suspended in the pre-school, elementary and high school levels in Metropolitan Manila for Wednesday morning, said Dr. Flordeliza Magday, officer in charge of the National Capital Region office of the Department of Education in an interview over dzBB also around 11 p.m. Meanwhile, a Manila Electric Company (Meralco) spokesperson announced over dzBB that its entire franchise area, which includes Metro Manila, was affected by the system-wide blackout that the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) declared at around 12:42 a.m. The NGCP said the system-wide blackout was due to storm Basyang causing problems in its five major transmission lines connecting Southern Luzon and Metro Manila.
Basyang crossing Central Luzon Basyang, the second cyclone to hit the country this year after a long dry spell, is packing sustained winds of 95 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 120 kph. Its location was estimated to be in the vicinity of Infanta, Quezon and moving westward at 22 kph. The following provinces or parts of provinces are under Signal No. 2 as of 11 p.m., and are expected to experience winds of 60-100 km per hour:

• Camarines Norte
• Northern Quezon
• Rizal
• Aurora
• Nueva Ecija
• Cavite
• Lubang Is.
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Bataan
• Pampanga
• Zambales
• Tarlac
• Pangasinan
• Bulacan
• Metro Manila

The following are areas under Signal No. 1, and expected to experience winds of 30-60 km per hour:

• Catanduanes
• Camarines Sur
• Rest of Quezon
• Marinduque
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Isabela
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• La Union

PAGASA forecasters said they expect the storm to cross Central Luzon overnight to Wednesday morning, and by Wednesday evening would be over South China Sea some 230 km northwest of Iba, Zambales. The state forecasters reminded the public that although "Basyang" has somewhat weakened and is expected to leave land by Wednesday, it is pulling the southwest monsoon and heavy rains in its wake, and could pick up strength later. Power outage The weather bureau reminded the public to observe all necessary precautions, and to monitor developments on the ground until its next expected advisory at 5:00 a.m. Wednesday. Meanwhile, strong rains and winds have begun to lash areas in the affected provinces of Central Luzon and in Metro Manila, according to various reports culled from radio broadcasts and Facebook posts. Several Metro Manila thoroughfares have been reported as dangerous to negotiate due to fallen trees, branches, power lines, and even billboards. Due to very poor visibility, a total of 43 flights have been canceled and 40 flights delayed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, while 31 have been diverted to the Diosdado Macapagal (Clark) International Airport in Pampanga, according to the Manila International Airport Authority. Intermittent power outages have also been reported in areas of Laguna serviced by the National Power Corporation's Caliraya substation and the Sta. Cruz circuit; the San Pablo City area; Tiaong and Candelaria in Quezon; Mandaluyong, Pasig, parts of Makati, and parts of Quezon City in the Metro Manila area. - JV, GMANews.TV