Typhoon ‘Nika’ (Toraji) is now unleashing its fury over the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) whose provinces and municipalities remain under tropical cyclone wind signal (TCWS) no. 4, state weather bureau PAGASA said.
According to its 5:00 p.m. weather bulletin on Monday, ‘Nika’ was in the vicinity of Besao, Mountain Province, moving west northwestward at 25 kilometers per hour. It had maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 200 km/h.
It is projected to move over Sinait, Ilocos Sur by early morning Tuesday before leaving the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) hopefully later within that day. PAGASA said ‘Nika’ may weaken back into severe tropical storm while traversing mainland Luzon.
As of this posting, the state weather bureau warned residents across several provinces in Ilocos Region, CAR, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon of serious environmental hazards resulting from torrential rains.
PAGASA is also closely monitoring a tropical depression outside PAR that has been intensifying rapidly. This weather disturbance was monitored about 1,480 km east of Eastern Visayas and would be called ‘Ofel’ once it officially enters the Philippines.
The following TCWS advisories remain over the affected areas in light of Typhoon ‘Nika’:
· TCWS No. 4 – 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), and 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 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), and 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 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), and 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 northeastern portion of Quezon (General Nakar) including Pollilo Islands