Batanes under signal no. 4 as Typhoon Ferdie nears

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MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Ferdie (Meranti) is now threatening Batanes and the Babuyan Group of Islands, said state weather bureau PAGASA in its bulletin issued 11 am on Tuesday, September 13.

Ferdie is now 340 kilometers east southeast of Basco, Batanes, moving west northwest at 23 kilometers per hour (km/h).

It has maximum winds of up to 215 km/h and gustiness of up to 250 km/h.

Signal number 4 is now raised over Batanes, while signal number 3 is up over the Babuyan Group of Islands. 

Signal number 2, meanwhile, is raised over the following:

• Ilocos Norte
• Apayao
• northern Cagayan

Signal number 1 is also up in these areas:

• rest of Cagayan
• northern Isabela
• Kalinga
• Abra
• northern Ilocos Sur

PAGASA warned residents of areas under warning signals to watch out for the effects of the rain and very strong winds. Moderate to heavy rain is expected within the 600-km diameter of the typhoon.

The state weather bureau also said Ferdie could make landfall in Batanes very early Wednesday, September 14.

The typhoon will then leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday morning or afternoon.

But as Ferdie exits, a tropical depression is also expected to enter PAR on Wednesday. PAGASA said this tropical depression will not make landfall in the country.

– Rappler.com