By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan
MANILA, (PNA) — Typhoon “Vinta” has intensified further before making landfall over the Northern Cagayan Area, a state weather forecaster said on Thursday.
In a interview, PAGASA weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said that before Vinta made landfall, the typhoon’s maximum winds increase from 120 kph to 130 kph on Thursday afternoon while its gustiness also rose from 150 kph to 160 kph.
Aurelio said that Vinta made landfall around 4:45 pm in Sta. Ana, Cagayan and is not expected to make another landfall as it (Vinta) will be passing through over areas of extreme Northern Luzon.
As of 4 p.m. the eye of the typhoon was located at 110 km East Southeast of Aparri, Cagayan (18.0°N, 122.8°E) and it is forecast to move West Northwest at 22 kph.
With its speed and movement, he said Vinta may exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) Friday afternoon as it moves towards southern China.
Aurelio said that public storm warning signal no. 3 remains hoisted over Cagayan including Calayan and Babuyan Group of Islands, Apayao and Ilocos Norte. These areas are expected to have winds of greater than 100 kph up to 185 kph in at least 18 hours.
He said that six areas placed under public storm warning signal no. 2 (61-100 kph winds) are Batanes Group of Islands, Abra, Kalinga, Ilocos Sur, Mt. Province and Isabela.
Public storm warning signal no. 1 (30-60 kph winds), on the other hand, was hoisted over La Union, Benguet, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Aurora and Pangasinan.
“Residents in low-lying and mountainous areas under Signals #3, #2 & #1 are alerted against possible flash floods and landslides. Likewise, those living in coastal areas under signal #3 and #2 are alerted against storm surges,” PAGASA said.
PAGASA said Vinta may bring rainfall of 5 to 10.0 mm per hour (moderate to heavy) within its 500-km diameter of the typhoon.
PAGASA said that sea travel is risky over the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon.
In the next 24 hours, Aurelio said that the provinces of Ilocos, Isabela, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mt. Province, Batanes and Cagayan including Babuyan and Calayan group of islands will experience stormy weather with rough to very rough seas.
He added that the provinces of La Union, Benguet, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Aurora and Pangasinan will have rains and gusty winds with moderate to rough seas.
Aurelio also said that the rest of Luzon including Metro Manila and the Mindanao will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms while Visayas will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.
Aurelio likewise said that weather in most parts of the country will be cloudy skies with light rains on Friday afternoon or the afternoon of All Souls’ Day as “Vinta” continues to move away from the Philippine territory.
However, he still advised people going to the cemeteries on the afternoon of All Souls’ Day and All Saint’s Day to still bring rain gears such as umbrellas, raincoats and jackets in anticipation of possible rains “not probably from the cyclone but due to localized thunderstorms or possible formation of an intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ).”