The national weather agency said on Wednesday that Typhoon Carina, despite its distance from land, is predicted to strengthen into a super typhoon and then make landfall in Taiwan while still inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
Reports from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) were released at 11 a.m. 165 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts up to 205 kph indicate that the typhoon has strengthened.
Carina’s eye center moved at a speed of 15 km/h and was situated approximately 345 kilometers northeast of Itbayat, Batanes.
Signal No. 1 is active over the Babuyan Islands, the northern part of Ilocos Norte (Burgos, Bangui, Pagudpud, Dumalneg, and Adams) in Luzon, and the northern part of mainland Cagayan (Claveria, Santa Praxedes, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Santa Ana, and Gonzaga). Signal No. 2 is still in effect over Batanes.
The most recent bulletin states that Carina is expected to ashore over northern Taiwan between Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning.
“There is a possibility that it could reach Super Typhoon category before making landfall in Taiwan,” PAGASA said.
The state weather bureau stated that Carina is expected to leave PAR by Thursday morning.
Moreover, Carina is escalating the southwest monsoon, or “habagat,” which is bringing heavy to strong rains to the most of Luzon, including Metro Manila, and nearby provinces.
