MANILA — Broad swaths of Luzon and Visayas were placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 as tropical depression Amang maintained its strength and continued to move westward toward the northern coast of Catanduanes, the state weather bureau said Tuesday.

Amang was 130 kilometers east-northeast of Virac, Catanduanes at 4 p.m. Tuesday, PAGASA said, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 70 kph. It is moving westward at 30 kph.

PAGASA raised signal no. 1 in the following areas, where 39 to 61 kph winds could be expected in 36 hours.

LUZON

• Catanduanes
• Sorsogon
• Albay
• Camarines Sur
• Camarines Norte
• Quezon including Polillo Islands
• Marinduque
• Masbate including Ticao Island, Burias Island
• Rizal
• Laguna (San Pablo City, Alaminos, Calauan, Bay, Los Baños, Rizal, Nagcarlan, Victoria, Pila, Liliw, Magdalena, Majayjay, Luisiana, Cavinti, Pagsanjan, Santa Cruz, Lumban, Kalayaan, Paete, Pakil, Pangil, Siniloan, Famy, Santa Maria, Mabitac)
• Aurora
• Bulacan (Norzagaray, Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Miguel, San Ildefonso), Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya (Kasibu, Dupax del Norte, Dupax del Sur, Alfonso Castaneda)
• Nueva Ecija (General Tinio, City of Gapan, Peñaranda, San Leonardo, Santa Rosa, Cabanatuan City, Talavera, San Jose City, Carranglan, Pantabangan, Llanera, General Mamerto Natividad, Rizal, Bongabon, Laur, Palayan City, Gabaldon)
• Isabela (Echague, San Agustin, Jones, Dinapigue, San Mariano, San Guillermo, Palanan, Angadanan, Benito Soliven, City of Cauayan)

VISAYAS

• Northern Samar
• Samar (Calbayog City, Matuguinao, San Jose de Buan, Gandara, Santa Margarita, San Jorge) and Eastern Samar (Jipapad, Maslog, Arteche, Oras, San Policarpo, Dolores)

The areas placed under signal no. 1 could experience strong winds brought about by the storm. PAGASA said the threat to life and property is "minimal to minor."

RAINFALL

According to PAGASA's 5 p.m. bulletin, downpours could dump up to 100 mm of rain over the Bicol region and Northern Samar, while intense rains of up to 200 mm could be expected in the northern portion of Quezon and the eastern portion of Laguna.

Meanwhile, rain showers could unleash up to 100 mm of rain over Rizal province, the southern portion of Aurora, and the rest of Laguna and Quezon, it added.

The weather agency warned that flooding and landslides are possible.

OUTLOOK

PAGASA said that although Amang is predicted to remain over the coastal waters, it is not ruling out a landfall scenario in the Bicol Peninsula area, adding it "may pass over or very close near Catanduanes" in the next 9 hours.

Amang's track will follow a generally westward or west-northwestward track towards Bicol Region Tuesday. It will then turn west-northwestward or northwestward for the remainder of the forecast period.

The weather agency added that Amang, the nation's first storm this year, is forecast to remain a tropical depression and it might be downgraded to a low-pressure area "by late Thursday or early Friday."

"Wind Signal No. 1 may be hoisted in other localities in Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley in succeeding bulletins," it also said.

For more updates, visit the ABS-CBN weather center.