Basyang intensifies into tropical storm east of Surigao del Sur

MANILA, Philippines – Basyang strengthened from a tropical depression into a tropical storm at 8 pm on Wednesday, February 4.

It was given the international name Penha, a name contributed by Macau that refers to a place in the Chinese special administrative region.

Basyang now has maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour from the previous 55 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in a bulletin issued at 11 pm on Wednesday. Its gustiness is now up to 80 km/h from 70 km/h.

The tropical storm was already 560 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, as of 10 pm. It is moving west toward land at 15 km/h, and could make its first landfall in eastern Mindanao on Thursday evening, February 5, or early Friday morning, February 6.

In the next three days, Basyang is bringing moderate to intense rain to portions of Mindanao, the Visayas, and Mimaropa. Affected provinces must watch out for floods and landslides.

Wednesday evening, February 4, to Thursday evening, February 5

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 millimeters): Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao Oriental
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Southern Leyte, Eastern Samar, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Davao del Norte

Thursday evening, February 5, to Friday evening, February 6

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Southern Leyte, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Camiguin, Siquijor, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Guimaras, Iloilo, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Bukidnon, Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro, Davao Oriental

Friday evening, February 6, to Saturday evening, February 7

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Aklan, Antique
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Palawan, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Negros Occidental

Following Basyang’s intensification into a tropical storm, Signal No. 2 was also raised for the first time. Here are all the areas under tropical cyclone wind signals as of 11 pm on Wednesday:

Signal No. 2

Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property

• Surigao del Sur

Signal No. 1

Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property

• central and southern parts of Eastern Samar (Guiuan, Salcedo, Mercedes, Giporlos, Balangiga, Lawaan, Quinapondan, General MacArthur, Hernani, Llorente, Maydolong, Balangkayan, Borongan City, San Julian, Sulat, Taft)
• southern part of Samar (Marabut, Basey, Santa Rita, Villareal, Pinabacdao, Calbiga, Hinabangan, San Sebastian, Talalora, Daram, Zumarraga)
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• Bohol
• Cebu
• Siquijor
• Negros Oriental
• Negros Occidental
• Guimaras
• Iloilo
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte
• Agusan del Norte
• Agusan del Sur
• northern part of Davao Oriental (Boston, Cateel, Baganga)
• northern part of Davao de Oro (Compostela, Monkayo, Montevista, Laak)
• northern part of Davao del Norte (Kapalong, San Isidro, Asuncion)
• Misamis Oriental
• Camiguin
• northern and eastern parts of Bukidnon (San Fernando, Malaybalay City, Cabanglasan, Impasug-ong, Malitbog, Sumilao, Manolo Fortich, Libona, Baungon, Lantapan)

PAGASA added that the surge of the northeast monsoon or amihan is bringing strong to gale-force gusts to the following areas:

Wednesday, February 4

• most of Luzon, Visayas, Davao Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Lanao del Norte

Thursday, February 5

• Metro Manila, Apayao, Abra, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, northern part of mainland Cagayan, Central Luzon, most of Southern Luzon, Visayas, most of Mindanao

Friday, February 6

• Batanes, Babuyan Islands, northern part of mainland Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Visayas, most of Mindanao

In addition, there is a minimal to moderate risk of storm surges with peak heights of up to 2 meters in Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Davao Oriental, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Southern Leyte, and Bohol within 48 hours.

PAGASA also stressed that sea conditions are unsafe due to Basyang.

Up to very rough seas (travel is risky for all vessels)

• Seaboard of Surigao del Sur – waves up to 5.5 meters high
• Eastern seaboards of Dinagat Islands, Siargao-Bucas Grande Islands, and northern Davao Oriental – waves up to 5 meters high
• Eastern seaboards of Northern Samar and Eastern Samar – waves up to 4.5 meters high

Up to rough seas (small vessels should not venture out to sea)

• Eastern seaboards of Catanduanes, Albay, and Sorsogon; northern seaboard of Northern Samar; remaining eastern seaboard of Davao Oriental; remaining seaboard of Eastern Samar – waves up to 4 meters high
• Northern seaboards of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes; eastern seaboard of Davao Occidental – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Seaboards of Isabela, Aurora, and northern Quezon; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands – waves up to 3 meters high

Up to moderate seas (small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible)

• Seaboards of Batanes, Babuyan Islands, mainland Palawan, Kalayaan, Cuyo Island, Cagayancillo, Calamian Islands, Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, and Antique; remaining seaboards of Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Remaining seaboards of mainland Cagayan; northern seaboard of Ilocos Norte; seaboards of Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, and Sarangani; western seaboard of Occidental Mindoro; remaining seaboards of Eastern Visayas – waves up to 2 meters high

Following its initial landfall in eastern Mindanao, Basyang is projected to cross northeastern Mindanao, Central Visayas, and Western Visayas, then emerge over the Sulu Sea by Saturday morning, February 7. During its passage over the Visayas, it might weaken back into a tropical depression.

“By Saturday afternoon or evening, Basyang will cross the northern portion of Palawan, then re-emerge over the West Philippine Sea,” added PAGASA.

After hitting Palawan, Basyang may be downgraded to a low pressure area by Sunday, February 8.

Basyang is the Philippines’ second tropical cyclone for 2026, after Tropical Storm Ada (Nokaen) in January. PAGASA previously estimated there would be up to one tropical cyclone in February. – Rappler.com