MANILA — Typhoon Bising (international name Surigae) maintained its strength as it continues to move north, the state weather bureau said Monday afternoon.

The country's second storm this year will bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Bicol region, Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran and the northern portion of Leyte, PAGASA said in its 5 p.m. weather bulletin.

The following areas were placed under tropical cyclone wind signal no. 2, where winds of up to 120 kph may be expected in at least 24 hours, which may cause old wooden electric posts to be tilted or downed:

• Catanduanes
• Eastern portion of Camarines Sur eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Siruma, Tinambac, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Caramoan, Goa, Tigaon, San Jose, Presentacion, Sagnay, Buhi)
• Eastern portion of Albay (Tiwi, Malinao, Tabaco City, Malilipot, Santo Domingo, Bacacay, Rapu-Rapu, Legazpi City, Manito)
• Eastern and central portions of Sorsogon (Castilla, Sorsogon City, Prieto Diaz, Gubat, Barcelona, Casiguran, Juban, Magallanes, Bulan, Bulusan, Irosin, Santa Magdalena, Matnog)
• Northern Samar
• Northern portion of Samar (Santo Nino, Almagro, Tagapul-An, Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, Gandara, Matuguinao, San Jose de Buan, San Jorge, Tarangnan, Pagsanghan, Catbalogan City, Paranas, Jiabong, Motiong, Hinabangan, San Sebastian)
• Northern portion of Eastern Samar (San Julian, Sulat, Taft, Can-Avid, Dolores, Maslog, Oras, San Policarpo, Arteche, Jipapad)

Storm signal no. 1, which may cause slight damage to some houses of very light materials or makeshift structures in exposed communities, was hoisted over the following areas:

• Eastern portion of Cagayan Lal-Lo, Gattaran, Alcala, Baggao, Amulung, Solana, Iguig, Tuguegarao City, Enrile, Peñablanca, Camalaniugan, Aparri, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Gonzaga, Santa Ana)
• Isabela
• Quirino
• Northern and central portions of Aurora (Baler, Dipaculao, Dinalungan, Casiguran, Dilasag)
• Eastern portion of Quezon (Calauag, Guinayangan, Tagkawayan, Buenavista, San Narciso, San Andres) including Polillo Islands,
• Camarines Norte
• Rest of Camarines Sur
• Rest of Albay
• Rest of Sorsogon
• Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands
• Rest of Samar
• Rest of Eastern Samar
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Northern portion of Cebu (Tabogon, Borbon, San Remigio, Bogo City, Medellin, Daanbantayan) including Bantayan and Camotes Islands

Bising was last estimated 500 kilometers east of Infanta town, Quezon, moving slowly north northwestward.

It was packing 195 km per hour (kph) maximum winds near the center and gusts of up to 240 kph, according to PAGASA.

It was forecast to move generally north or north northwest until Wednesday evening to Thursday morning. It will then move northeast or east northeast away from the Luzon landmass, PAGASA said.

Bising is expected to gradually weaken from its current intensity throughout the forecast period.

The weather bureau warned that very rough to very high seas will be experienced over the northern and eastern seaboard of Luzon (5.0 to 12.0 m), rough to very high seas over the northern and eastern seaboard of Eastern Visayas (2.5 to 7.0 m), and rough to very rough seas over the northern and western seaboard of Northern Luzon (2.5 to 4.5 m) and the eastern seaboard of Caraga (2.5 to 4.5 m).

Rough seas are also expected over the remaining seaboards of localities where wind signals are in effect and the eastern seaboard of Davao Oriental (2.5 to 4.0 m), while moderate to rough seas may be experienced over the western seaboard of Central Luzon (1.2 to 3.0 m).

Sea travel is risky for all types of seacraft over these waters, especially those under storm signals, it said.

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