‘Helen’ seen to leave PAR Tuesday evening

TYPHOON “Helen” (international Megi) is seen to exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Tuesday evening, the state weather bureau said.

The typhoon maintained its strength of 150 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 185 kph on Monday afternoon, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

Signal No. 2 remained hoisted over Batanes Group of Islands, while Signal No. 1 was raised over northern Cagayan including Babuyan Group of Islands.

Helen was last tracked at 415 kilometers east northeast of Basco, Batanes, and was moving west northwest at 20 kph.

Pagasa forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said by phone that the typhoon’s eye would be closest to Batanes early Tuesday but it will not make landfall.

Cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms will be experienced over MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and the provinces of Batangas, Quezon and rest of Cagayan, Pagasa said.

Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms will prevail over the rest of the country.