Ofel nears landfall; Signal No. 5 up over 2 Cagayan towns

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 5 remains hoisted over some portion of mainland Cagayan as Super Typhoon Ofel is close to making landfall over the province on Thursday afternoon, PAGASA said.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals are raised in the following areas:

Signal No. 5

• The northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga)

Signal No. 4

• Babuyan Islands
• the northern and eastern portions of mainland Cagayan (Santa Teresita, Ballesteros, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Buguey, Lal-Lo, Allacapan, Gattaran, Baggao, Peñablanca)
• the northeastern portion of Isabela (Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan)

Signal No. 3

• Batanes
• the rest of Cagayan
• the northern, central, and southeastern portions of Isabela (San Pablo, Delfin Albano, Ilagan City, Tumauini, Cabagan, Santa Maria, Santo Tomas, San Mariano, Dinapigue)
• the northern portion of Apayao (Flora, Santa Marcela, Luna, Pudtol, Calanasan, Kabugao)
• the northern portion of Ilocos Norte (Pagudpud, Adams, Dumalneg)

Signal No. 2

• the western and southern portions of Isabela (Quezon, Quirino, Mallig, San Manuel, Aurora, Cabatuan, City of Cauayan, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Gamu, Burgos, Reina Mercedes, Luna, Roxas, Angadanan, Alicia, San Guillermo, Echague, Jones, San Agustin, San Mateo, San Isidro)
• the northeastern portion of Quirino (Maddela)
• the rest of Apayao
• Kalinga
• the northeastern portion of Abra (Tineg, Lacub, Malibcong, Lagayan, San Juan, Lagangilang, Licuan-Baay, Daguioman)
• the eastern portion of Mountain Province (Paracelis)
• the eastern portion of Ifugao (Alfonso Lista)
• the rest of Ilocos Norte
• the northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag)

Signal No. 1

• the rest of Isabela
• the rest of Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• the rest of Mountain Province
• the rest of Ifugao
• the rest of Abra
• the northern portion of Benguet (Bokod, Mankayan, Kapangan, Atok, Kabayan, Kibungan, Bakun, Buguias, Tublay)
• Ilocos Sur
• the northern portion of La Union (Luna, Sudipen, Bangar, Santol, San Gabriel, Bagulin, Bacnotan, Balaoan, San Juan)
• the northern and central portions of Aurora (Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler, San Luis)

LIVE BLOG: Updates on Super Typhoon Ofel

Ofel was last spotted 135 kilometers northeast of Echague, Isabela moving west northwestward 15 kilometers per hour (kph).

The super typhoon was packing maximum sustained winds of 185 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 230 kph.

Ofel is expected to make landfall along the eastern coast of Cagayan on Thursday afternoon and will make another landfall or passing close to Babuyan Islands.

“A weakening trend is expected for much of the forecast period due to increasing interaction with the landmass of Luzon and Taiwan, as well as the increasingly unfavorable environment over the Luzon Strait and the sea east of Taiwan,” PAGASA said.

“However, landfall at or near super typhoon intensity is likely,” it added.

—VAL, GMA Integrated News