MANILA (Updated) -- Super Typhoon "Lawin" (Haima) has maintained its strength as it made landfall over Penablañca town in southern Cagayan before midnight on Wednesday, the state weather bureau said.
Signal number 5 is up in Cagayan, Kalinga, Apayao, northern Abra and Ilocos Norte, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
Super Typhoon Lawin packs sustained winds of 225 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts nearly as high as 315 kph.
It moves west northwest at 25 kilometers per hour.
The super typhoon has caused the forced evacuation of thousands of residents in areas with Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS).
Here are other areas with TCWS:
Signal number 4
Rest of Abra, Ilocos Sur, Mt. Province, Ifugao and Calayan Group of Islands
Signal number 3
La Union, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and Northern Aurora
Signal number 2
Batanes Group of Islands, Pangasinan, Rest of of Aurora, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Northern Zambales, and Northern Quezon including Polillo Islands
Signal number 1
Rest of Zambales, Bulacan, Bataan, Pampanga, Rizal, Rest of Quezon, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay and Metro Manila
Pagasa said estimated rainfall amount is from moderate to heavy within the 800-kilometer diameter of Super Typhoon Lawin.
The strongest typhoon to hit the country this year may weaken to typhoon category once it hits the landmass, Pagasa said.
Lawin is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Thursday evening, October 20. (Sunnex)