By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
‘Nando’ has intensified into a super typhoon at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, as the weather system continues to approach Extreme Northern Luzon.
Super Typhoon Nando was last located 535 km east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, packing maximum sustained winds of 185 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 230 km/h as it moves westward at 15 km/h.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration’s (PAGASA) 11:00 a.m. bulletin, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 has been raised in the following areas:
- Batanes
- Cagayan, including Babuyan Islands
- Northern and eastern portions of Isabela
- Apayao
- Eastern portion of Kalinga
- Northern portion of Ilocos Norte
Wind Signal No. 1 is also hoisted in the following areas:
- Rest of Isabela
- Quirino
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Rest of Kalinga
- Abra
- Mountain Province
- Ifugao
- Benguet
- Rest of Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
- La Union
- Pangasinan
- Northern portion of Zambales
- Northern and central portions of Nueva Ecija
- Northern and central portions of Tarlac
- Aurora
The state weather bureau, meanwhile, raised a gale warning over the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon, noting risky travel on all types of sea vessels in the following areas:
- Up to 14.0 m: The seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands
- Up to 10.0 m: The northeastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan
- Up to 8.0 m: The remaining seaboards of mainland Cagayan; the northern seaboard of Ilocos Norte
- Up to 5.5 m: The seaboard of Isabela
- Up to 4.5 m: The northeastern seaboard of Aurora; the remaining seaboard of Ilocos Norte
Rough seas would also prevail over the following coastal waters:
- Up to 3.5 m: The remaining seaboards of Aurora; the northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands
- Up to 3.0 m: The seaboard of Camarines Norte; the northern seaboard of Camarines Sur; the northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes
- Up to 2.5 m: The eastern seaboards of Albay and Sorsogon; the remaining seaboard of Camarines Sur; the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar
PAGASA noted that Supertyphoon Nando will begin to change direction and turn west-northwestward, with the possibility of passing near or making landfall over Batanes or Babuyan Islands by Monday afternoon or evening.
The state weather bureau advises residents living in low-lying or hazardous areas to follow evacuation procedures from local officials and continue monitoring weather advisories for their respective locales.
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