Typhoon Hanna maintains strength, some areas under Signal No. 2

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Typhoon ‘Hanna’ (international name: Soudelor) maintained its strength as it moved towards Batanes.

State weather bureau PAGASA said Hanna is still packing maximum sustained winds of 165 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 200 kph.

As of 10 p.m. Thursday, Hanna was spotted 605 kilometers east-northeast of Basco, Batanes, moving west northwest at 20 kph.

Public storm warning signal number 2 is hoisted over the Batanes Group of Islands, including Itbayat, while signal number 1 is raised over Calayan and Babuyan group of islands, and northern Cagayan.

PAGASA weather forecaster Samuel Duran said Hanna will exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Saturday, and will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon.

He also said MIMAROPA, the whole of Mindanao, and Visayas may experience heavy monsoon rains which may cause floods and landslides.

Metro Manila, and other parts of Luzon may also experience light to moderate rains.

Hanna is not expected to make landfall in the Philippines, as it continues to move towards Taiwan.

Meanwhile, PAGASA said light to moderate rains are currently affecting portions of Zamboanga peninsula, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Bohol, Cebu, and Southern Leyter, which may continue for one to two hours.

This article has been re-published with permission from ABS-CBNnews.com.