Typhoon Hanna nears; Signal No. 1 up over Batanes

The image of the Philippines is blurred under heavy cloud cover in this Pagasa satellite image, which shows Typhoon Hanna east of the Batanes. INTERNET SCREENGRAB

Storm Signal No. 1 has been raised over Batanes as Typhoon Hanna (international name: Soudelor) moved closer to the province, the state weather bureau said Thursday.

Hanna was packing maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 210 kph, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.

The typhoon was observed 955 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes, as of 4 a.m. as it continued to move west northwest at 20 kph.

Although it will not make landfall, Hanna will enhance the southwest monsoon (habagat) prevailing over Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Pagasa warned that stronger monsoon rain could trigger flashfloods and landslides in Bicol, the Visayas, Mindanao and the province of Palawan.

Cloudy skies with light to moderate rain and isolated thunderstorms are expected over Metro Manila and Calabarzon. Meanwhile, the provinces of Mindoro, Marinduque and Romblon will have while partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms.

Fisherfolk were advised not to venture out over the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon, Palawan, the Visayas and Mindanao.