MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE 5) Tropical Depression "Lawin" maintained its strength, on course to make landfall in Aurora province on Wednesday afternoon, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

At 10 p.m. Tuesday, the storm was located 90 kilometers north northwest of Virac town in Catanduanes province or 140 kilometers east of Polilio Island, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center, it said.

After making landfall in Aurora by Wednesday afternoon, the storm, which is moving west northwest at 17 kilometers per hour, was forecast to be over Baguio City on Wednesday evening, 340 kilometers west northwest of Baguio by Thursday evening, and 670 kilometers northwest of Baguio by Friday evening, it said.

"Tropical Depression 'Lawin' is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring rains over Southern Luzon, Visayas and Western Mindanao which may trigger flash floods and landslides," the weather bureau said.

Public storm signal number 1 (30-60 kilometer per hour winds) was raised over Catanduanes, the Camarines provinces, Albay, Burias Island, Quezon, Polilio Island, Marinduque, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, eastern Pangasinan, Benguet, Ifugao, Quirino, Aurora, and Southern Isabela, it said.