Severe Tropical Storm Neneng intensified into a typhoon after it underwent “extreme rapid intensification,” the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Sunday.
In its 2 p.m. tropical cyclone bulletin, the weather bureau said the eye of Typhoon Neneng is located 145 kilometers west of Calayan, Cagayan.
It has a maximum sustained winds of 120 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph, moving westward at 20 kph.
The western portion of Babuyan Islands (Panuitan Is., Calayan Is., Dalupiri Is.) have been placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3.
The TCWS No. 2 was hoisted over Batanes, the northwestern portion of Cagayan (Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros), the northwestern portion of Apayao (Calanasan, Luna, Santa Marcela), and Ilocos Norte.
Areas under TCWS No. 1 are Kalinga, Abra, the northern and central portions of Ilocos Sur (Gregorio del Pilar, Magsingal, San Esteban, Banayoyo, Burgos, City of Candon, Santa Lucia, Santiago, San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Lidlidda, Nagbukel, Sinait, San Ildefonso, Galimuyod, City of Vigan, San Emilio, Cabugao, Caoayan, San Juan, Santa, Bantay, Santo Domingo, Santa Maria, Narvacan, Salcedo, Santa Cruz), the rest of Apayao, and the rest of Cagayan.
“Moderate to heavy rains may prevail over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Apayao, Abra, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur. Light to moderate with at times heavy rains over the rest of Ilocos Region and Cordillera Administrative Region,” PAGASA said.
It added that winds may reach storm-force strength in the western portion of Babuyan Islands.
“Neneng” will continue moving westward or west northwestward over the West Philippine Sea until early Monday morning.
It may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) Sunday night.
Source: Philippine News Agency
