Lawin intensifies; more areas under warning signals

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MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Lawin (Haima) intensified further late Tuesday night, October 18, as it headed for Northern Luzon.

In its bulletin issued 11 pm on Tuesday, state weather bureau PAGASA said Lawin now has maximum winds of up to 195 kilometers per hour (km/h) and gustiness of up to 240 km/h.

The typhoon is already 755 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora, moving west northwest at 25 km/h.

Moderate to intense rain is expected within Lawin’s 650-km diameter.

Signal number 2 is now raised in the following areas:

• Cagayan
• Isabela
• northern Aurora

Signal number 1, meanwhile, is up in these areas:

• Calayan Group of Islands
• Batanes
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• Apayao
• Abra
• Kalinga
• Mt Province
• Ifugao
• La Union
• Benguet
• Tarlac
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Nueva Ecija
• Quirino
• Pangasinan
• rest of Aurora
• Zambales
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• northern Quezon including Polillo Island
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Catanduanes

PAGASA earlier warned that Lawin could become a super typhoon.

Signal number 4 or 5 might be raised in Cagayan (including the Calayan Group of Islands), Apayao, Ilocos Norte, and northern Isabela on Wednesday night, October 19.

If indeed these areas are placed under signal number 4 or 5, there would be very strong winds 220 km/h or more and gustiness of up to 365 km/h or more.

Such winds “can destroy high- to low-risk structures” as well as topple trees and transmission towers, according to the state weather bureau.

Storm surges up to 5 meters high are also possible in Cagayan (including the Calayan Group of Islands), Isabela, and Ilocos Norte.

Lawin is expected to make landfall in the Cagayan area early Thursday morning, October 20. The Cayagan provincial government has said that it is preparing for a “worst-case scenario.”

After making landfall, the typhoon will cross Ilocos Norte and Apayao.

PAGASA also said sea travel is risky in the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon and the northern and eastern seaboards of Samar.

Lawin is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) early Friday, October 21.

– Rappler.com