“Lawin” (internationally known as Haima) weakened from a supertyphoon to a typhoon while traversing Apayao province, some five hours after it made landfall in Cagayan, according to the bulletin issued at 5 a.m. on Thursday by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
But it was still a strong typhoon, packing 205 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 25 kph, Samuel Duran of PAGASA said in a televised news briefing at 5 a.m.
The following areas are still under tropical cyclone warning signals:
Signal No. 4
Cagayan
Isabela
Apayao
Abra
Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Sur
Mountain Province
Kalinga
Ifugao
Calayan Group of Islands
Signal No. 3
La Union
Benguet
Nueva Vizcaya
Quirino
Northern Aurora
Signal No. 2
Batanes Group of Islands
Pangasinan
Rest of of Aurora
Tarlac
Nueva Ecija
Northern Zambales
Signal No. 1
Rest of Zambales
Bulacan
Bataan
Pampanga
Rizal
Quezon, including Polillo Island
Cavite
Laguna
Batangas
Metro Manila
Lawin maintained its speed of 25 kph, still moving west-northwest. It’s expected to exit the Luzon landmass through Ilocos Norte between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Thursday.
The typhoon is projected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Thursday night.
Heavy to intense rain is forecast within the 400-kilometer inner diameter of Lawin, while moderate to occasionally heavy rain is expected in the rest of its 800-km diameter, Duran said.
Meanwhile, sea travel remained risky over the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon.
As of 4 a.m., Lawin was sighted in the vicinity of Kabugao, Apayao.
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