More areas are now under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 as Typhoon Ofel, international name Usagi, surges toward Northern Luzon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration announced in a bulletin issued at 8 PM on Wednesday.
Near the center, the typhoon produces maximum sustained winds at 130 kilometers per hour (kph), with a gustiness peaking at 160 kph. The eye was estimated to be 425 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora.
Areas under TCWS No. 2 will experience gale-force winds:
- Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
- The northern and eastern portions of Isabela (Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan, San Pablo,
- Cabagan, Santa Maria, Santo Tomas, Tumauini, Ilagan City)
- Apayao
- Northern Ilocos Norte (Carasi, Vintar, Burgos, Adams, Pagudpud, Bangui, Dumalneg)
Under TCWS No. 1 are the following:
- Batanes
- The rest of Isabela
- Quirino
- Northern Nueva Vizcaya (Kasibu, Ambaguio, Solano, Bayombong, Quezon, Bagabag, Diadi, Villaverde)
- Kalinga
- Abra
- Mountain Province
- Ifugao
- The rest of Ilocos Norte
- Northern Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao)
Heavy to intense rains are forecast in Cagayan and Isabela, whereas areas with moderate to heavy rains are:
- IIocos Norte
- Apayao
- Abra
- Kalinga
- Mountain Province
- Ifugao
- Quirino
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Aurora
- Catanduanes
Ofel is expected to make landfall over the eastern portion of Cagayan or Isabela on Thursday, when it will have reached its peak intensity, said PAGASA.
