Nika now over Cordillera; Signal No. 4 still up over 7 areas

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 4 was raised over seven areas in Luzon as Typhoon Nika moved over the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) on Monday afternoon, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

In its 2 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals are in effect in the following areas:

TCWS No. 4:

• the northernmost portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran)
• the central and southern portions of Isabela (Dinapigue, San Mariano, San Guillermo, Jones, Echague, Ramon, San Isidro, City of Santiago, Cordon, Roxas, Burgos, Reina Mercedes, Naguilian, Benito Soliven, Gamu, San Manuel, Aurora, San Mateo, Cabatuan, Alicia, Luna, City of Cauayan, Angadanan, Quezon, Mallig, Quirino, Ilagan City, Delfin Albano, San Agustin)
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• the northern portion of Ifugao (Aguinaldo, Mayoyao, Alfonso Lista, Banaue, Hungduan, Hingyon, Lagawe)
• the central and southern portion of Abra (Manabo, Pidigan, San Juan, Tayum, Langiden, Luba, Boliney, Sallapadan, Bucloc, Lagangilang, Tubo, Danglas, Villaviciosa, La Paz, Licuan-Baay, Pilar, Malibcong, Pe, San Isidro, Daguioman, San Quintin, Dolores, Lagayan, Bangued, Bucay, Lacub)
• the northern and central portions of Ilocos Sur (Cabugao, Sinait, San Juan, San Emilio, Lidlidda, Banayoyo, Santiago, San Esteban, Burgos, Santa Maria, Magsingal, San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Nagbukel, San Ildefonso, City of Vigan, Caoayan, Santa, Bantay, Santo Domingo, Narvacan, Quirino, Cervantes, Sigay, Salcedo, Santa Lucia, City of Candon, Galimuyod, Gregorio del Pilar, Santa Cruz)

TCWS No. 3

• the central portion of Aurora (Dinalungan)
• the northern portion of Quirino (Diffun, Cabarroguis, Aglipay, Saguday, Maddela)
• the northeastern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Diadi, Bagabag, Quezon, Solano, Villaverde, Kasibu, Ambaguio, Bayombong)
• the rest of Isabela
• the southwestern portion of Cagayan (Enrile, Solana, Tuao, Tuguegarao City, Rizal, Piat)
• the southern portion of Apayao (Conner, Kabugao)
• the rest of Abra
• the rest of Ifugao
• the northern portion of Benguet (Buguias, Mankayan, Bakun)
• the southern portion of Ilocos Norte (Laoag City, Sarrat, San Nicolas, Piddig, Marcos, Nueva Era, Dingras, Bacarra, Solsona, Paoay, Currimao, Pinili, Badoc, City of Batac, Banna)
• the rest of Ilocos Sur

TCWS No. 2

• the northwestern and eastern portions of Cagayan (Iguig, Peñablanca, Baggao, Alcala, Amulung, Santo Niño, Gattaran, Lasam, Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Allacapan, Ballesteros, Lal-Lo, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Gonzaga)
• the rest of Nueva Vizcaya
• the rest of Quirino
• the rest of Apayao
• the rest of Benguet
• the rest of Ilocos Norte
• La Union
• the northeastern portion of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Natividad, San Quintin, Sison, San Manuel, Umingan, Tayug)
• the central portion of Aurora (Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler)
• the northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Pantabangan, Lupao, San Jose City)

TCWS No. 1

• Babuyan Islands
• the rest of mainland Cagayan
• the rest of Pangasinan
• the rest of Aurora
• the rest of Nueva Ecija
• Bulacan
• Pampanga
• Tarlac
• the northern and central portions of Zambales (Santa Cruz, Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig, Iba, Botolan, Cabangan, San Marcelino, San Felipe, San Narciso)
• the northern portion of Metro Manila (City of Navotas, City of Valenzuela, City of Malabon, Caloocan City, City of Marikina, City of Pasig, Quezon City, City of Manila, City of Makati, Pateros, City of San Juan, City of Mandaluyong)
• the northern portion of Rizal (Rodriguez, Teresa, City of Antipolo, San Mateo, Morong, Baras, Cainta, Tanay, Taytay, Angono)
• the northeastern portion of Quezon (Infanta, General Nakar) including Pollilo Islands

PAGASA said Nika's center was last monitored in the vicinity of Lagawe, Ifugao moving west northwestward at 25 kilometers per hour (kph) packing maximum sustained winds of 130 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 215 kph.

“NIKA will traverse the landmass of mainland Luzon today and emerge over the sea west of Ilocos Sur this afternoon or evening,” PAGASA said.

“This tropical cyclone may weaken into a severe tropical storm while traversing mainland Luzon due to land interaction,” it added.

Nika, which made landfall in the vicinity of Dilasag, Aurora at 8:10 a.m. on Monday, is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) by Tuesday morning.

Some areas have suspended classes due to the bad weather brought by Nika. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority also suspended the expanded number coding scheme for the day.

Mayors and governors in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley and Cordillera Administrative Region were ordered by the Department of the Interior and Local Government to conduct preemptive evacuation.

Meanwhile, a tropical depression is seen to enter PAR on Tuesday and will be named Ofel once it did.

The tropical depression may make landfall over Northern or Central Luzon on Thursday evening or early Friday morning, according to PAGASA in its 5 a.m. bulletin on Monday. —KBK, GMA Integrated News