THE Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has warned of imminent life-threatening conditions over the northern portion of Northern Luzon as Super Typhoon Nando approaches the Babuyan Islands.
As of 11 a.m. Monday, the eye of Nando was located approximately 110 kilometers east of Calayan, Cagayan, with typhoon-force winds extending outwards up to 600 kilometers from the center.
Super Typhoon Nando is currently packing maximum sustained winds of 215 kilometers per hour near the center, with gusts reaching up to 265 kilometers per hour and a central pressure of 910 hPa. The storm is moving westward at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour.
In response to the escalating threat, PAGASA has raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 5 over the Babuyan Islands. Lower wind signals are in effect for other parts of Northern Luzon, including Batanes, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales, and the northern portion of Quezon. PAGASA has also cautioned of a high risk of life-threatening storm surges exceeding three meters in height within the next 24 hours for coastal areas of Batanes, Cagayan (including the Babuyan Islands), Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur.
The agency projects that Nando will continue moving westward, potentially making landfall over the Babuyan Islands between noon and early afternoon Monday and is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Tuesday morning.
