‘Ofel’ weakens further but threatens Babuyan Islands

MANILA, Philippines — The state-run weather agency said on Thursday that Typhoon “Ofel” further weakened but continued to threaten Babuyan Islands where a landfall was possible. Moving west-northwestward at 20 kilometers per hour (kph), Ofel was in the vicinity of Gonzaga, Cagayan or Isca, Cagayan while packing maximum sustained winds of 165kph near the center and gustiness of up to 275kph, the weather agency said. In its 5 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Signal No. 4 remained up over Babuyan Islands and the northern and eastern portions of mainland Cagayan (Santa Teresita, Ballesteros, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Buguey, Lal-Lo, Allacapan, Gattaran, Baggao, Peñablanca, Gonzaga, Santa Ana, Abulug, Pamplona and Sanchez-Mira). Signal No. 3 is raised over Batanes, the rest of Cagayan, the northern portion of Isabela (San Pablo, Tumauini, Cabagan, Santa Maria, Santo Tomas, Maconacon and Delfin Albano), the northern portion of Apayao (Flora, Santa Marcela, Luna, Pudtol, Calanasan and Kabugao), and the northern portion of Ilocos Norte (Pagudpud, Adams and Dumalneg). The latest Pagasa bulletin said Signal No. 2 was still hoisted over the western and eastern portions of Isabela (Quezon, Quirino, Mallig, San Manuel, Aurora, Cabatuan, City of Cauayan, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Gamu, Burgos, Reina Mercedes, Luna, Roxas, San Mariano, Palanan, Ilagan City, Divilacan and Dinapigue), the rest of Apayao, Kalinga, the northeastern portion of Abra (Tineg, Lacub, Malibcong, Lagayan, San Juan, Lagangilang, Licuan-Baay and Daguioman), the eastern portion of Mountain Province (Paracelis), and the rest of Ilocos Norte. Meanwhile, the rest of Isabela, Quirino, the northern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kasibu, Ambaguio, Solano, Bayombong, Quezon, Bagabag, Diadi, Villaverde, Dupax del Norte and Bambang), the rest of Mountain Province, the rest of Ifugao, the rest of Abra, the northern portion of Benguet (Mankayan, Kabayan, Kibungan, Bakun and Buguias), Ilocos Sur, the northern portion of La Union (Luna, Sudipen, Bangar, Santol and Balaoan), and the northern portion of Aurora (Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dilasag and Dipaculao) are still under Signal No. 1. “Ofel will continue moving north-westward and pass close or make landfall in the vicinity of Babuyan Islands Thursday night before turning northward Friday over the sea west of Batanes,” Pagasa Administrator Nathaniel Servando said. He said the typhoon started to weaken due to increasing interaction with the landmass of Luzon. “It will continue to weaken throughout the forecast period due to frictional effects of land, as well as the increasingly unfavorable environment over the Luzon Strait and the sea east of Taiwan,” the Pagasa chief said.