'Santi' intensifies, to bring heavy rains to 18 northern provinces

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) -- The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has placed 3 areas under storm signal number two and 15 areas under signal number one as typhoon "Santi" intensified and continued moving toward Luzon, northern Philippines.

In a weather bulletin issued Thursday afternoon, Pagasa has placed Aurora, Northern Quezon and Polillo islands under storm signal number two. The following provinces are placed under storm signal number one: Isabela, Ifugao, Quirino, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, rest of Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes.

Typhoon "Santi" is expected to bring more rain and have winds more powerful than typhoon "Pepeng" which battered northern Luzon early this month.

As of 4:00 p.m. Thursday, the eye of the typhoon was spotted at 800 km east of Baler, Aurora with maximum sustained winds of 150 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph.

By Friday afternoon it is expected to be 360 km east of Casiguran.