TROPICAL Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) Number 2 has been hoisted over Batanes and Babuyan Islands, as Severe Tropical Storm Ineng (Bailu) was moving closer to southern Taiwan-Batanes area Friday afternoon, August 23.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Ineng remains less likely to make landfall in the country, but it will be closest to Batanes province Saturday morning, August 24.
As of 4 p.m. Friday, the center of Ineng was located at 360 kilometers east of Calayan, Cagayan, still packing maximum winds of up to 95 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center and gusts of up to 115 km/h. It was moving west northwest at 25 km/h.
Pagasa raised TCWS Number 1 in Cagayan, Isabela, Apayao, Kalinga, northern Abra and Ilocos Norte.
It warned residents of areas under TCWS 1 and 2 against strong winds associated with the severe tropical storm.
Pagasa said that tonight (August 23), moderate to heavy rains will be experienced over Batanes, Cagayan (including Babuyan Islands), Ilocos Provinces, Apayao, Kalinga and Abra, while light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains will affect Metro Manila, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Mindoro Provinces, northern portion of Palawan (including Calamian and Cuyo Islands), Aklan, Antique, western portion of Iloilo, and the rest of Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region and Cagayan Valley.
On Saturday, August 24, moderate to heavy rains may prevail over Batanes and Babuyan Islands, while light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains may be experienced over Ilocos Region, Cordillera, Cagayan, Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Mindoro Provinces and northern portions of Palawan (including Calamian and Cuyo Islands), it added.
Pagasa warned residents in the aforementioned areas, especially those living in areas identified to be highly or very highly susceptible to floods and rain-induced landslides, to take precautionary measures, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and continue monitoring for updates.
Sea travel is risky over the seaboards of areas under TCWS and the eastern seaboards of Central Luzon, southern Luzon, and Visayas due to potentially rough sea conditions, it said.
Ineng is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility Saturday morning, August 24. (LMY/SunStar Philippines)