‘Butchoy’ slightly weakens, to exit PAR Saturday

INQUIRER PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC

Typhoon Butchoy (Nepartak) slightly weakened as it neared landfall over southeast Taiwan early Friday, the state weather bureau said.

The typhoon was last tracked 220 kilometers north northwest of Itbayat, Batanes, packing sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour and gusts reaching up to 230 kph, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

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Signal No. 2 remained hoisted over Batanes, while Babuyan Group of Islands was under Signal No. 1.

Butchoy moved at 15 kph west northwest.

The typhoon will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon in the country, and moderate to occasionally heavy rains are forecast the provinces of Zambales, Bataan, Batangas, Cavite and Mindoro.

Fishermen were advised not to venture out over the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon and the southern and western seaboards of Southern Luzon.

Butchoy will exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Saturday morning, Pagasa said.

READ: Typhoon ‘Butchoy’ blows off Philippines, threatens Taiwan