MORE areas in Luzon and Visayas have been placed on Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) Number 2, as Typhoon Egay (Doksuri) intensified further as it moved westward over the Philippine Sea Monday, July 24, 2023.
As of 10 a.m. Monday, the eye of the typhoon was located at 525 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora, with maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour (km/h), gusts of up to 185 km/h, and central pressure of 960 hPa.
Egay was moving westward slowly, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
TCWS Number 2 has been hoisted over Catanduanes, central and eastern portion of Isabela (Palanan, Dinapigue, Santo Tomas, Cabagan, Tumauini, San Pablo, Maconacon, Santa Maria, Quezon, Delfin Albano, Mallig, Quirino, Roxas, Burgos, Ilagan City, Divilacan, San Mariano, Gamu, Naguilian, Benito Soliven, City of Cauayan, Reina Mercedes, Luna, San Manuel, Aurora, Cabatuan, San Guillermo, Echague, Jones, Angadanan, Alicia, San Mateo, San Isidro, San Agustin), eastern portion of Albay (Rapu-Rapu, Bacacay, City of Tabaco, Malilipot, Malinao, Tiwi), eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Presentacion, Garchitorena, Lagonoy, San Jose, Sagñay), northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan), eastern portion of Quirino (Maddela), eastern and central portion of Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Lal-Lo, Santa Teresita, Buguey, Gattaran, Baggao, Peñablanca, Amulung, Alcala, Iguig, Tuguegarao City, Solana, Enrile), and the northern portion of Camarines Norte (Calaguas and Maculabo Islands) in Luzon.
In the Visayas, areas under TCWS 2 were those in the northeastern portion of Northern Samar, such as Laoang and Palapag towns.
TCWS 1 was raised over Sorsogon, the rest of Albay, the rest of Camarines Sur, the rest of Camarines Norte, the rest of Isabela, the rest of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, the rest of Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Batanes, Masbate including Ticao Island, Burias Island, Quezon including Pollilo Islands, the rest of Aurora, Benguet, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Zambales, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, Marinduque, Cavite, Metro Manila, Rizal, Laguna, eastern and central portion of Romblon (Banton, Corcuera, Romblon, Magdiwang, Cajidiocan, San Fernando) and the northern and central portion of Batangas (Calaca, Cuenca, Taysan, Lian, Tuy, Balayan, Talisay, Padre Garcia, Agoncillo, Santo Tomas, San Jose, Lemery, Lipa City, Ibaan, City of Tanauan, Mataasnakahoy, Alitagtag, Balete, Nasugbu, San Juan, San Nicolas, Rosario, Laurel, Santa Teresita, Taal, Malvar) in Luzon.
In the Visayas, under TCWS 1 were Eastern Samar, the rest of Northern Samar, Samar, Biliran, northern and central portion of Leyte (Tunga, Pastrana, San Miguel, Mahaplag, Matag-Ob, Tolosa, Palo, Calubian, Leyte, Mayorga, Julita, Carigara, Babatngon, Dagami, Jaro, Abuyog, San Isidro, Santa Fe, Albuera, Villaba, La Paz, Palompon, Macarthur, Tabontabon, Tanauan, Merida, Ormoc City, Isabel, Javier, Dulag, Capoocan, Alangalang, City of Baybay, Burauen, Tabango, Tacloban City, Kananga, Barugo) and the northern portion of Cebu (Daanbantayan, Medellin) including Bantayan Islands, Camotes Islands.
Pagasa said Egay may enhance the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat), bringing occasional to monsoon rains over the western portions of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, and Visayas in the next three days.
The weather bureau forecast Egay to track west northwestward in the next 12 hours before turning northwestward and head closer to the landmass of Northern Luzon toward the Luzon Strait.
Also on the track forecast, the typhoon was seen to cross the Luzon Strait and make landfall or pass very close to the Babuyan Islands-Batanes area between late evening Tuesday, July 25, and Wednesday afternoon, July 26.
Egay may exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Thursday as it moves over the waters southwest of Taiwan, said Pagasa.
Outside the PAR, the typhoon will cross the Taiwan Strait and make landfall over Fujian, China on late Thursday or early Friday.
Pagasa added that Egay was forecast to continue intensifying and reach super typhoon category by late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
“However, should the track forecast shift closer to the landmass of Luzon, the typhoon may peak at an intensity just below super typhoon threshold. Nevertheless, Egay is forecast to become a very strong typhoon. A weakening trend may begin by Wednesday afternoon or evening as it enters the cooler waters southwest and west of Taiwan (i.e., Taiwan Strait),” it said. (LMY)