MANILA – Typhoon Julian continues to weaken but is still impacting Batanes, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Thursday.
In its 5 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA reported that Julian is packing maximum sustained winds of 140 kph near the center and gusts reaching up to 170 kph. The typhoon was last tracked 265 km northwest of Itbayat, Batanes, outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
Strong winds remain in effect across Batanes, where Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 is still in place. PAGASA has also issued a gale warning for the northern seaboard of Northern Luzon, with very rough seas expected in the Batanes region, making sea travel risky for most vessels, including small sea craft and motorbancas.
Scattered rains and thunderstorms are forecast over Batanes, the Babuyan Islands, the Ilocos and Cordillera regions, as well as the rest of Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon. PAGASA has warned that moderate to heavy rains in these areas may result in flash floods or landslides.
For the rest of the country, isolated rain showers caused by localized thunderstorms are expected.
2 Dead, Nearly 59K Families Affected
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported at least two fatalities due to Typhoon Julian’s impact in Northern Luzon. The deaths, which are still being validated, occurred in the Ilocos and Cordillera regions.
Additionally, eight people were confirmed injured in Cagayan Valley, and one person remains missing in Cordillera.
A total of 58,953 families—roughly 211,000 individuals—across 747 barangays in the Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley, and Cordillera have been affected by the typhoon. Of these, 308 families (922 individuals) are currently in evacuation centers, while 630 families (2,249 persons) are receiving aid outside these shelters.
The NDRRMC also reported 363 houses damaged across the three regions, with agricultural losses estimated at PHP35.21 million in the Ilocos region alone.
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