'Lawin' now a super typhoon; Signal no. 5 up in Cagayan, Isabela

MANILA (Updated) -- Signal number five is up in Cagayan and Isabela Wednesday afternoon as Typhoon Lawin (Haima) intensified into a super typhoon.

In a weather bulletin issued at 2 p.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Lawin is expected to make landfall over Cagayan and Isabela areas late Wednesday night up to early Thursday morning.

It is expected to cross Apayao and Ilocos Norte on Thursday before it will exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Friday.

At 1 p.m., the eye of the super typhoon was located at 300 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora.

Signal number four is up in Apayao, Kalinga, Ilocos Norte, Abra, Ilocos Sur, Mt. Province, Ifugao and Calayan Group of Islands, while signal number three is up in La Union, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and Northern Aurora.

Signal number two is up in Batanes Group of Islands, Pangasinan, the rest of Aurora, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, northern Zambales, and northern Quezon, including Polillo Islands.

Areas under signal number one are the rest of Zambales, Bulacan, Bataan, Pampanga, Rizal, the rest of Quezon, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay and Metro Manila.

Lawin has maximum sustained winds of up to 225 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 315 kph.

It was forecast to move to move west northwest at 24 kph.

Estimated rainfall amount is from moderate to heavy within the 800-kilometer diameter of the super typhoon, Pagasa said.

Forced evacuation

The local governments units of Cagayan and Ilocos Norte ordered the forced evacuation of the population in the areas near the Cagayan river, as they prepare for the serious threat of supertyphoon Lawin.

Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba said forced evacuation implemented in the municipalities of Baggao, Penablanca, Tuguegarao City and Alcala.

Under typhoon signal number five, Cagayan is expected to experience winds of up to 220 kph within the next 12 hours.

Mamba said classes in all levels in both public and private schools are cancelled until Thursday, October 20, as well as work in government offices, except for units involved in disaster response operations.

Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, for her part, ordered preemptive evacuation in the towns of Solsona, Dingras, Laoag City Paoay, Pagudpud and Bangui in anticipation for the effects of the supertyphoon.

Meanwhile, several provinces in the Northern Luzon, which is also expected to be hit by Lawin has started their preparations.

In Baguio City, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) has been on red alert since Tuesday and personnel involved in disaster response has been placed on standby.

"Nagdi-disseminate po kami ng SMS text blasts o BSS radio at saka media, radio and TV. Tapos sa mga barangay, nagdi-disseminate po kami ng letter para sa preparation," Engineer Yolanda Munar of Baguio CDRRMC said.

Residents in the low-lying Barangay Lower Quarry Lagoon, which is prone to landslides, have been ordered to evacuate when needed.

"Nakikita 'yung areas na landslide-prone... may technical groups na tumitingin doon. Usually nire-report ng mga barangay 'yan na nilalagyan nila ng mitigation prevention 'yung mga riprap, mga slope protection," Munar said.

Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan assured that evacuation centers, relief goods, and rescue equipments are already on standby.

Domogan urged the motorist to avoid Kennon Road due possible to landslides. (Sunnex)

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