Typhoon Gorio intensifies again as it heads for Taiwan

What’s the weather like in your area? Report the situation through Rappler’s Agos or tweet us at @rapplerdotcom.

MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Gorio (Nesat) again strengthened early Saturday morning, July 29, as it maintained its course toward Taiwan.

In a bulletin issued 5 am on Saturday, state weather bureau PAGASA said Gorio now has maximum winds of 145 kilometers per hour (km/h) and gustiness of up to 180 km/h.

The typhoon is already 200 kilometers northeast of Basco, Batanes, still moving northwest at 17 km/h.

Batanes remains under signal number 2, while the Babuyan Group of Islands is still under signal number 1.

Aside from Gorio, PAGASA continues to monitor a tropical depression located outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), at 560 kilometers west of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. This weather disturbance is unlikely to enter PAR.

Both the tropical depression and Gorio, however, will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon.

Monsoon rain which may trigger flash floods and landslides will continue in Ilocos, Cordillera, Bataan, and Zambales.

The rest of Luzon, including Metro Manila, will have light to moderate rain and thunderstorms.

PAGASA also warned that sea travel is risky in the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the western seaboard of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon.

In a news briefing early Saturday morning, PAGASA forecaster Obet Badrina said Gorio might make landfall in Taiwan by Saturday afternoon.

Gorio will then leave PAR on Sunday morning, July 30. Once it exits, areas still experiencing heavy monsoon rains will gradually begin seeing better weather.

Several areas and schools again suspended classes for Saturday. – Rappler.com