Typhoon ‘Helen’ nears landfall in Taiwan

This satellite image from Pagasa shows the location of Typhoon Helen as of 12 noon Tuesday.

Typhoon “Helen” (international name: Megi) neared landfall in Taiwan midday Tuesday, the state weather bureau said.

Although it will exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Tuesday evening, Helen is expected to make landfall over Taiwan in the afternoon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.

Storm signals remained over extreme Northern Luzon — Signal No. 2 in Batanes and Signal No. 1 in Northern Cagayan including Babuyan Islands.

READ: Signal No. 2 still up in Batanes as ‘Helen’ slightly intensifies

Sea travel is risky over the northern and eastern seaboard of Northern Luzon.

Helen maintained its strength of 160 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 195 kph. It continued to move west northwest at 20 kph.

Pagasa said the typhoon was last tracked 345 kilometers north northeast of Basco, Batanes. IDL/rga