Typhoon Kiko (Chanthu) weakened a bit late Saturday morning, September 11, after hitting Batanes, but it remains a strong tropical cyclone.

Kiko earlier made landfall in Ivana, Batanes, at 8:30 am on Saturday.

As of 10 am, the typhoon was already over the coastal waters of Itbayat, Batanes, moving north northwest at 15 kilometers per hour (km/h).

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also said in its 11 am bulletin that Kiko’s maximum sustained winds decreased from 215 km/h to 205 km/h, while its gustiness went down from 265 km/h to 250 km/h.

Kiko was previously feared to become a super typhoon. A super typhoon has maximum sustained winds exceeding 220 km/h. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

There are fewer areas remaining under tropical cyclone wind signals as of 11 am on Saturday. Note, though, that Batanes remains under Signal No. 4, the second highest tropical cyclone wind signal.

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

• Batanes

Signal No. 3 (destructive typhoon-force winds)

• northeastern part of Babuyan Islands (Babuyan Island)

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

• rest of Babuyan Islands

Signal No. 1 (strong winds)

• northern part of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Lal-lo, Gattaran, Lasam, Allacapan, Santa Teresita, Buguey, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Ballesteros, Abulug, Pamplona, Sanchez-Mira, Claveria, Santa Praxedes)
• northern part of Apayao (Flora, Pudtol, Luna, Santa Marcela, Calanasan)
• northern part of Ilocos Norte (Pagudpud, Adams, Dumalneg, Vintar, Bangui, Burgos)

Rainfall warnings are still in place.

Heavy to intense rain, with at times torrential rain

• Batanes

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• Babuyan Islands
• Cagayan
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• Abra
• Apayao
• Kalinga

There also remains a moderate to high risk of life-threatening storm surges 2 to 3 meters high occurring on Saturday.

“Rising seawater along with the high waves from the shoreline moving inland may cause flooding in the low-lying coastal localities of Batanes and northeastern Cagayan including Babuyan Islands,” PAGASA said.

Sea travel remains dangerous in areas affected by Kiko.

Rough to phenomenal seas (waves 2.5 to 15 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 3.5 meters high)

Travel risky for small vessels, mariners advised to avoid navigation

• eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon and Central Luzon that are not under tropical cyclone wind signals

Within the next three hours, or by early Saturday afternoon, Kiko is expected to pass very close to Itbayat.

Then it could shift north beginning Saturday evening and pass over the sea east of Taiwan. Landfall in Taiwan, which is still within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), is not ruled out.

The typhoon may also weaken further as it interacts with Taiwan’s rugged terrain.

Finally, Kiko might leave PAR on Sunday evening or early Monday morning, September 13. Once outside, it will move north over the East China Sea.

PAGASA

In a separate advisory at 11 am on Saturday, PAGASA said Kiko is still enhancing the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat.

Moderate to heavy rain and occasional gusty winds are being experienced in these areas due to the enhanced southwest monsoon:

• Metro Manila
• Calabarzon
• Ilocos Region
• Zambales
• Bataan
• Occidental Mindoro
• Oriental Mindoro
• Palawan

Flash floods and landslides remain possible.

A gale warning was earlier issued for the following seaboards, with waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high:

• seaboards of Zambales and Bataan
• western seaboards of Palawan including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands and Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands

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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