Signal No. 3 in 8 areas as Nika weakens into severe tropical storm

Signal No. 3 was hoisted over eight areas in Luzon as Typhoon Nika (international name: Toraji) weakened into a severe tropical storm, PAGASA said Monday evening.

According to the 8 p.m. PAGASA tropical cyclone bulletin, Severe Tropical Storm Nika has maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph.

The following areas under Signal No. 3 are expected to experience 89 kph up to 117 kph in at least 18 hours, which may cause heavy damage to high–risk structures:

• The southern portion of Apayao (Conner, Kabugao)
• Abra
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• 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)
• Ilocos Sur

Signal No. 2 was raised over the following areas:

• The southwestern portion of Cagayan (Iguig, Alcala, Amulung, Santo Niño, Lasam, Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Allacapan, Ballesteros, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Enrile, Tuguegarao City, Solana, Tuao, Piat, Rizal)
• the eastern portion of Isabela (Santo Tomas, Alicia, San Mateo, Aurora, Santa Maria, Quezon, Ramon, Roxas, Luna, Delfin Albano, City of Santiago, Reina Mercedes, San Manuel, Cabatuan, Quirino, San Isidro, Mallig, Burgos, Cordon, Cabagan)
• the northern portion of Quirino (Diffun, Cabarroguis, Saguday)
• the northern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Bambang, Kayapa, Santa Fe, Aritao, Quezon, Bayombong, Ambaguio, Solano, Bagabag, Diadi, Villaverde, Dupax del Sur, Dupax del Norte, Kasibu)
• La Union
• the rest of Ilocos Norte
• the rest of Apayao
• the rest of Benguet

The following areas are under Signal No. 1

• Pangasinan
• the rest of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• the rest of Isabela
• the rest of Quirino
• the rest of Nueva Vizcaya, Tarlac
• the northern and central portions of Zambales (Santa Cruz, Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig, Iba, Botolan, Cabangan)
• Nueva Ecija
• Aurora

At 7 p.m., Nika was monitored over the coastal waters of Magsingal, Ilocos Sur moving northwestward at 20 kph.

PAGASA also warned of strong to gale-force gusts over the coastal and upland areas of locos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, and Isabela 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 Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, and Zambales.

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

PAGASA said Nika is seen to continue moving west northwestward over West Philippine Sea and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Tuesday morning.

“Nika is forecast to continue weaken for the next days and may become a remnant low over the sea near southern China. Nevertheless, it will remain as a severe tropical storm throughout its passage within the PAR region,” PAGASA said. — BM, GMA Integrated News