“Leon” (international name Kong-Rey) further intensified into a super typhoon as it continues to threaten extreme Northern Luzon, the weather bureau said yesterday.
The cyclone packs maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 230 kph, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (Pagasa) 11:00 a.m. bulletin.
Leon was located 350 km. east of Calayan, Cagayan as of 10:00 a.m.
More areas were placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3, namely Batanes, the eastern portion of Babuyan Islands, and the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan. These areas will experience strong to typhoon-force winds.
On the other hand, gale-force winds will prevail in areas under TCWS no. 2: the rest of Babuyan Islands, the rest of mainland Cagayan, the northern and eastern portions of Isabela, Apayao, Kalinga, the northern and eastern portions of Abra, the eastern portion of Mountain Province, and Ilocos Norte.
Strong winds will prevail in areas under TCWS No. 1 — the rest of Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, the rest of Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, the rest of Abra, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, the northeastern portion of Tarlac, the northern portion of Bulacan, the northern portion of Quezon including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, the northern portion of Camarines Sur, and the northern and eastern portions of Catanduanes.
Pagasa said TCWS no. 4 may be hoisted over Batanes in anticipation of potentially destructive typhoon-force winds. The hoisting of TCWS No. 5 is not ruled out.
Light to moderate with at times heavy rains are forecast in parts of Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Antique, Aklan, Negros, and Iloilo.
Meanwhile, Pagasa reiterated that there is a moderate to high risk of life-threatening storm surge reaching two to three meters above normal tide levels in the next 48 hours over the low-lying or exposed coastal localities of Batanes and Babuyan Islands.
Gale warning is still hoisted over the seaboard of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon.
Sea travel is risky for all types or tonnage of vessels, Pagasa said. (PNA)