Lawin intensifies, threatens northern Luzon

MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Lawin (international name Haima) has accelerated and intensified as it continues to threaten Northern Luzon, state weather bureau PAGASA said on Wednesday morning.

At 4 a.m., the eye of the typhoon was located 535 kilometers (km) east of Casiguran, Aurora.

Lawin packs maximum sustained winds of up to 205 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 240 kilometers per hour. It is likely to move west northwest at 26 kilometers per hour.

Lawin is estimated to bring moderate to heavy rainfall within its 700 km diameter.

The cyclone is expected to make landfall over Cagayan Area by Thursday early morning and will cross Apayao and Ilocos Norte.

The state weather bureau said that the typhoon is likely to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Friday early morning or Thursday evening.

Forecast positions

• 24 hour (Thursday morning): 30 km east of Tuguegarao, Cagayan
• 48 hour (Friday morning): 420 km west northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte (outside PAR)
• 72 hour (Saturday morning): 805 km west northwest of Basco, Batanes (outside PAR)
• 96 hour (Sunday morning): 925 km northwest of Basco, Batanes (outside PAR)
• 120 hour (Monday morning): 1,010 km north of Basco, Batanes (outside PAR)

Tropical cyclone warning signal

Signal No. 2

• Cagayan including Calayan Group of Islands
• Isabela
• Northern Aurora
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• Apayao
• Abra
• Kalinga
• Mt. Province
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino

Signal No. 1

• Batanes group of Islands
• La Union
• Tarlac
• Pangasinan
• Nueva Ecija
• Rest of Aurora
• Zambales
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Northern Quezon including Polillo Islands
• Bataan
• Rizal
• Laguna
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Catanduanes
• Metro Manila

PAGASA had warned that Lawin is expected to intensify into a super typhoon as strong as Yolanda (international name Haiyan) as it makes landfall in Luzon.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council warned that the landfall of Lawin may result in devastation in areas along the projected path of the typhoon.