'Lawin' intensifies into supertyphoon, Signal No. 5 up in Cagayan, Isabela

MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Lawin (international name Haima) has intensified into a supertyphoon as it moves closer to the Cagayan-Isabela area, state weather bureau PAGASA announced.

As of 1 p.m., the eye of the supertyphoon was located 300 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora with maximum sustained winds of up to 225 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 315 kph. It is likely to move west northwest at 24 kph.

Lawin is expected to bring moderate to heavy rainfall within its 800-km diameter.

The supertyphoon is forecasted to make landfall over the Cagayan-Isabela area between late Wednesday and early Thursday and will cross Apayao and Ilocos Norte provinces.

Forecast positions

• 24 hour (Thursday morning): 75 km west of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte
• 48 hour (Friday morning): 640 km west northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte (outside PAR)
• 72 hour (Saturday morning): 1,050 km northwest of Basco, Batanes (outside PAR)
• 96 hour (Sunday morning): 970 km north northwest of Basco, Batanes (outside PAR)
• 120 hour (Monday morning): 1,080 km north northeast of Basco, Batanes (outside PAR)

Tropical cyclone warning signal

Signal No. 5

• Cagayan
• Isabela

Signal No. 4

• Apayao
• Kalinga
• Ilocos Norte
• Abra
• Ilocos Sur
• Mt. Province
• Ifugao
• Calayan Group of Islands

Signal No. 3

• La Union
• Benguet
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino
• Northern Aurora

Signal No. 2

• Batanes Group of Islands
• Pangasinan
• Rest of Aurora
• Tarlac
• Nueva Ecija
• Northern Zambales
• Northern Quezon including Polillo Islands

Signal No. 1

• Rest of Zambales
• Bulacan
• Bataan
• Pampanga
• Rizal
• Rest of Quezon
• Cavite
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Catanduanes
• Albay
• Metro Manila

Lawin is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Thursday evening or Friday early morning.

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.