Karen maintains strength as it crosses north Luzon

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MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Karen (international code name Sarika) has maintained its strength early Sunday, October 16, as it crosses northern Luzon.

The eye of the typhoon was located in the vicinity of Alfonso Castaneda, Nueva Vizcaya as of 4 am Sunday, with maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour near the center, and gusts of up to 21 km/h, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

The following areas are currently under tropical cyclone warning signals:

Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) #3

• Pangasinan
• Northern Zamables
• Tarlac
• Nueva Ecija
• Aurora
• Northern Quezon including Polilio Islands
• La Union
• Benguet
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino

TCWS #2

• Ilocos Sur
• Southern Isabela
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Rest of Zambales
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Bataan
• Rial
• Metro Manila
• Rest of Quezon
• Camarines Norte

TCWS #1

• Ilocos Norte
• Abra
• Kalinga
• Rest of Isabela
• Southern Apayao
• Southern Cagayan
• Oriental Mindoro
• Cavite
• Batangas
• Laguna
• Marinduque
• Camarines Sur

All other storm signals have been lowered.

Moderate to heavy rain is expected within the typhoon’s 500 km diameter.

It is moving at a speed of 22 km/h, tracking a west-northwest path. Karen is expected to traverse north-central Luzon on Sunday, crossing Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, and Tarlac, before exiting landmass through Pangasinan.

The storm is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Monday. – Rappler.com