9 areas under storm warning

MANILA (Updated) -- Nine areas in Luzon are under public storm signals as Typhoon "Lawin" (international name: Jelawat) maintains its strength and continues to move closer to Cagayan-Batanes area, the state weather bureau said on Wednesday.

Placed under storm signal no. 2 are Cagayan, Batanes Group of Islands, Calayan Group of Islands and Babuyan Group of Islands. These areas are expected to experience 61 to 100 kilometers per hour (kph) winds within the next 24 hours, weather forecaster Manny Mendoza said.

Mendoza said signal No. 1 (30-60 kph winds) is hoisted over the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Kalinga, Apayao, Abra and Isabela.

The weather agency said residents living in low lying and mountainous areas under public storm warning signal 2 and 1 are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides.

Likewise, those living in coastal areas under public storm warning signal 2 are alerted against big waves or storm surges generated by Lawin.

Mendoza said that as of 7 a.m. Wednesday, the eye of Typhoon Lawin was located at 460 kilometers (km) east of Tuguegarao City, with maximum sustained winds of 205 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 240 kph. It is forecast to move northwest at 11 kph.

He said with its northwest direction, the typhoon has small chance to make landfall but they are still monitoring.

However, if it makes landfall, the typhoon will hit the Batanes Group of Island, he added.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Lawin is forecast to be at 325 km east of Calayan Island by Thursday morning; and 45 km east of Basco, Batanes by Friday morning.

With its present speed, Mendoza said Lawin is expected to leave the Philippine territory either Friday or Saturday and will be headed toward Taiwan.

He said those areas within its 850-km diameter radius are expected to experience rainfall of 10 to 20 mm per hour, which is classified as “heavy to intense.”

Mendoza added the typhoon is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon that will continue to bring occasional moderate to heavy rains in Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Pagasa advised fishing boats and other small seacrafts not to venture out into the seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon, Visayas, and the northern and eastern seaboards of Mindanao due to big waves generated by typhoon Lawin and southwest monsoon.

The weather agency said Ilocos Norte, Kalinga, Apayao and Isabela will have have rains and gusty winds.

Mimaropa region (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Bicol region and Visayas will experience cloudy skies with occasional moderate to heavy rains which may trigger flashfloods and landslides.

Metro Manila, Calabarzon region (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Mindanao and the rest of Luzon will have occasional light to moderate rains and thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast to northwest will prevail over Central Luzon, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino and coming from the southwest over Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. (PNA)