As of Tuesday, “Egay” has intensified into a super typhoon, prompting the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) to raise Signal No. 4 over the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana).

Pagasa reported that Signal No. 3 is in effect for Babuyan Islands, the northern and eastern parts of mainland Cagayan (Gonzaga, Peñablanca, Gattaran, Lal-Lo, Alcala, Santa Teresita, Buguey, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Ballesteros, Allacapan, Abulug, Claveria, Pamplona, Sanchez-Mira, Santa Praxedes, Lasam, Baggao, Amulung, and Iguig), as well as the northeastern portion of Isabela (Divilacan, Maconacon, and Palanan), and the northern portion of Apayao (Calanasan, Luna, Santa Marcela, Flora, Pudtol) in Luzon.

Meanwhile, Signal No. 2 has been raised over Batanes, the remaining areas of mainland Cagayan, the rest of Isabela, Quirino, the northern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kasibu, Quezon, Diadi, Bagabag, Ambaguio, Villaverde, Solano, and Bayombong), the rest of Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mountain Province, Ifugao, the northern portion of Benguet (Bakun, Mankayan, Buguias, Kabayan, and Kibungan), Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and the northern and central portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, and Dipaculao).

Furthermore, Signal No. 1 is currently in effect over Metro Manila, La Union, Pangasinan, the remaining areas of Benguet, the rest of Nueva Vizcaya, the rest of Aurora, Zambales, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Quezon, Marinduque, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Burias Island, and Ticao Island.

In the Visayas region, storm signals have already been lifted, according to Pagasa.

As of the 11 a.m. advisory, Egay has retained its super typhoon status with its eye located approximately 270 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. The typhoon is moving northwestward at a speed of 15 kilometers per hour (kph) with maximum sustained winds of 185kph near the center and gustiness of up to 230kph.

Pagasa predicts that Egay will likely make landfall or come very close to Babuyan Islands and the northeastern mainland Cagayan area between late Tuesday and Wednesday morning. The advisory also suggests that a slight northward or southward shift in the track could result in a landfall or close approach over northern mainland Cagayan or Batanes.
(ai/mnm)