MANILA, Philippines — More areas have been placed under Signal No. 2 as Typhoon “Ofel” threatens Northern Luzon, the state-run weather agency said on Wednesday.
Affected areas are Cagayan, including Babuyan Islands, the northern and eastern portions of Isabela (Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan, San Pablo, Cabagan, Santa Maria, Santo Tomas, Tumauini and Ilagan City), and the eastern portion of Apayao (Flora, Luna, Santa Marcela and Pudtol).
Under Signal No. 1 are Batanes, the rest of Isabela, Quirino, the northern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kasibu, Ambaguio, Solano, Bayombong, Quezon, Bagabag, Diadi and Villaverde), Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, and the northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan and Dipaculao).
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The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), in its 5 p.m. bulletin, said Ofel was estimated some 480 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora.
Moving west-northwestward at 25 kilometers per hour (kph), the typhoon has maximum sustained winds of 120kph near the center and gustiness of up to 150kph.
Ofel was forecast to make landfall along the eastern coast of Cagayan or Isabela Thursday, Pagasa Administrator Nathaniel Servando said.
It will then emerge over the Luzon Strait on Friday and pass close to or make landfall over Babuyan Islands, then turning north-eastward on Saturday toward the sea east of Taiwan, he told The Manila Times via Viber.
He added that the typhoon may steadily intensify within 24 hours and possibly make landfall during its peak intensity.
“Its landfall will trigger a weakening trend, which will continue for the rest of the forecast period,” the Pagasa chief said.
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