Signal No. 4, the second highest tropical cyclone wind signal, was raised for the northeastern part of Babuyan Islands late Friday afternoon, September 10, after Typhoon Kiko (Chanthu) intensified further.

Kiko’s maximum sustained winds surged to 215 kilometers per hour from the previous 195 km/h, and its gustiness increased from 240 km/h to 265 km/h.

In a briefing past 5 pm, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said it is not ruling out the possibility of Kiko becoming a super typhoon.

A super typhoon has maximum sustained winds exceeding 220 km/h. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

Kiko was last spotted 190 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan, moving northwest toward the Babuyan Islands-Batanes area at a slightly slower 15 km/h from the previous 20 km/h.

Below is the latest list of areas covered by tropical cyclone wind signals as of 5 pm on Friday:

Signal No. 4 (very destructive typhoon-force winds)

• northeastern part of Babuyan Islands (Babuyan Island)

Signal No. 3 (destructive typhoon-force winds)

• extreme northeastern part of Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga)
• rest of Babuyan Islands
• Batanes

Signal No. 2 (damaging gale-force to storm-force winds)

• northern, central, and eastern parts of mainland Cagayan (Aparri, Camalaniugan, Lal-lo, Gattaran, Baggao, Peñablanca, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Tuguegarao City, Iguig, Amulung, Alcala, Allacapan, Lasam, Ballesteros, Abulug)
• northeastern part of Isabela (San Pablo, Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan)
• northeastern part of Apayao (Flora, Santa Marcela, Luna, Pudtol)

Signal No. 1 (strong winds)

• rest of mainland Cagayan
• eastern part of Ilocos Norte (Pagudpud, Adams, Dumalneg, Bangui, Vintar, Carasi, Nueva Era, Burgos, Pasuquin, Bacarra, Laoag City, Piddig, Solsona, Dingras, Sarrat, San Nicolas)
• rest of Apayao
• northern part of Kalinga (Balbalan, Pinukpuk, Tabuk City, Rizal)
• eastern part of Mountain Province (Paracelis)
• northeastern part of Abra (Tineg, Lacub, Malibcong)
• northwestern and southeastern parts of Isabela (Santa Maria, Quezon, Mallig, Roxas, San Manuel, Cabatuan, Aurora, Cauayan City, Angadanan, San Guillermo, Dinapigue, San Mariano, Cabagan, Santo Tomas, Delfin Albano, Tumauini, Quirino, Burgos, Gamu, Ilagan City, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Naguilian, Benito Soliven)
• northern part of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran)

If Kiko strengthens into a super typhoon, Signal No. 5 could be raised.

Kiko will also continue to bring rain on Friday evening until Saturday evening, September 11. PAGASA stressed that scattered to widespread floods and landslides may occur.

Heavy to intense rain, with at times torrential rain

• northeastern part of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• Batanes

Heavy to intense rain

• northern part of Isabela
• rest of Cagayan

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• rest of Cagayan Valley
• Ilocos Region
• Cordillera Administrative Region
• northern and central parts of Aurora

PAGASA also warned that there is a moderate risk of storm surges 1 to 2 meters high occurring within 24 hours.

It added that “rising seawater along with the high waves from the shoreline moving inland may cause flooding in the low-lying coastal localities of Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, and Isabela.”

And, with Kiko intensifying, the impact on coastal waters is greater as well.

Rough to phenomenal seas (waves 3 to 16 meters high)

Travel risky for all vessels, mariners advised to remain in port

• seaboards of areas under tropical cyclone wind signals

Moderate to rough seas (waves 1.2 to 3 meters high)

Travel risky for small vessels, mariners advised to avoid navigation

• eastern seaboards of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon

Kiko is expected to pass over the coastal waters of the northeastern part of Cagayan by Friday evening.

Then it may cross the vicinity of Babuyan Islands and Batanes or pass within their coastal waters from Friday evening until Saturday afternoon or evening.

PAGASA reiterated, however, that landfall in the northeastern part of Cagayan remains a possibility.

After passing through the vicinity of extreme Northern Luzon, Kiko may head north for the rest of Saturday until Sunday afternoon, September 12, and pass within Taiwan’s coastal waters. Taiwan is still within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

Finally, Kiko could exit PAR on Sunday evening or early Monday morning, September 13. Outside PAR, it will turn north northeast over the East China Sea.

PAGASA

Meanwhile, Kiko will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat, which is affecting Southern Luzon and Western Visayas.

Scattered rain showers and thunderstorms are expected in areas affected by the enhanced southwest monsoon. Floods and landslides are possible, too.

PAGASA added that there may be occasional gusts in coastal and upland localities of Southern Luzon and Western Visayas.

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Kiko is the Philippines’ 11th tropical cyclone for 2021.

An average of 20 tropical cyclones form within or enter PAR each year. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2021)

For the next six months, these are PAGASA’s estimates for the number of tropical cyclones inside PAR:

2021

• September – 2 or 3
• October – 2 or 3
• November – 2 or 3
• December – 1 or 2

2022

• January – 0 or 1
• February – 0 or 1

– Rappler.com