‘Lawin’ stronger; typhoon signals up over Metro, 29 other areas

Typhoon ‘Lawin’ looms large east of Luzon as it nears expected landfall over Cagayan. PAGASA SATELLITE PHOTO

Typhoon Lawin (international name Haima) became stronger as it traversed the Philippine Sea early Wednesday, the state weather bureau said.

Signal No. 2 has been hoisted over Cagayan including Calayan Group of Islands, Isabela, Northern Aurora, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino.

READ: Full alert up as powerful Typhoon ‘Lawin’ nears north Luzon  | Lawin’ may turn into supertyphoon – PAGASA

The Batanes group of Islands, La Union, Tarlac, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, the rest of Aurora, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Northern Quezon including Polillo Islands, Bataan, Rizal, Laguna, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes and Metro Manila, have been placed under Signal No. 1.

Lawin continued to move towards Northern Luzon, with a landfall in Cagayan projected early Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

The typhoon was packing winds of 205 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 255 kph.

Pagasa earlier warned that it could raise the cyclone warning to Signal No. 4 and 5 in Cagayan and nearby provinces.

Storm surges of up to five meters are also possible over the coast of Cagayan including Calayan Islands, Isabela and Ilocos Norte.

Moderate to heavy rain was seen within the 700 kilometer radius of the typhoon.

The typhoon will cross Apayao and Ilocos Norte after its landfall, before it leaves the Philippine area of responsibility early Friday if it continues its track, Pagasa said.

Lawin was last sighted 535 kilometers east of Casiguran in Aurora, moving west northwest at 26 kph.

Pagasa warned of risky sea travel over the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon and the northern and eastern seaboards of Samar. CBB