'Very intense' Typhoon Nika to affect areas under Signal No. 4 — PAGASA

A “very intense” typhoon will affect areas under Signal No. 4 as Typhoon Nika is over the Cordillera Administrative Region, PAGASA said late Monday afternoon.

According to the 5 p.m. PAGASA tropical cyclone bulletin, Nika has maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 200 kph.

Areas under Signal No. 4 are expected to experience winds of greater than 118 kph up to 184 kph in at least 12 hours, which may cause very heavy damage to high–risk structures:

• 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, Peñarrubia, 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)
   

The following areas are under Signal No. 3:

• 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 central portion of Isabela (Santo Tomas, Santa Maria, San Mariano, Ilagan City, Benito Soliven, San Guillermo, City of Cauayan, Gamu, Naguilian, Alicia, Angadanan, San Isidro, City of Santiago, Echague, Jones, San Agustin, Delfin Albano, Quirino, Burgos, Reina Mercedes, Luna, Cabagan, Tumauini, San Pablo, Quezon, Mallig, Roxas, San Manuel, Aurora, Cabatuan, San Mateo, Ramon, Cordon)
• 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

Signal No. 2 was raised in the following areas:

• 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 Isabela
• 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 northern and central portions of Aurora (Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler, Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan)
• the northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Pantabangan, Lupao, San Jose City)

The following areas are under Signal 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 northeastern portion of Quezon (General Nakar) including the Pollilo Islands

At 4 p.m., Nika was observed in the vicinity of Hungduan, Ifugao moving west northwestward at 25 kph.

PAGASA said Nika may weaken into a severe tropical storm while traversing mainland Luzon due to land interaction.

“A generally weakening trend may then be expected for this tropical cyclone until it becomes a remnant low over the sea near southern China,” PAGASA said.

PAGASA also warned of strong to gale-force gusts over the coastal and upland areas of Batanes, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Lubang Island, Marinduque, Romblon, Masbate, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes on Tuesday due to northeasterly wind flow.

A moderate to high risk of storm surge may also occur in the next 48 hours in the low-lying or exposed coastal localities of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Zambales, and Aurora.

A Gale Warning is hoisted over the eastern seaboard of Luzon and the northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon.

PAGASA said Nika will traverse the landmass of mainland Luzon on Monday and emerge over the sea west of Ilocos Sur on Monday evening.

It will then move west northwestward over the West Philippine Sea and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by tomorrow. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News