MANILA – Typhoon Marce (international name Yinxing) poses a serious threat to northern mainland Cagayan and the Babuyan Islands as powerful winds and heavy rains engulf Northern Luzon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported Thursday (07 Nov 2024) morning.

In its latest bulletin issued at 5 a.m., PAGASA said Typhoon Marce packs maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometers per hour near the center, with gusts reaching up to 190 kph. As of 4 a.m., the typhoon’s eye was located approximately 200 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan.

Areas Affected by Typhoon Marce

Typhoon-force winds are expected in regions under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 4:

Northern Cagayan (including Gonzaga, Santa Ana, Aparri, and adjacent municipalities)

Babuyan Islands

Northeastern Apayao

TCWS No. 3 remains in effect for:

Southern Batanes, the rest of Cagayan, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, and northern Abra.

These areas will experience strong, storm-force winds.

Regions under TCWS No. 2 (gale-force winds) include:

Batanes, central and northern Isabela, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, northern Benguet, Ilocos Sur, and northern La Union.

TCWS No. 1 is issued for areas that can expect strong winds, including:

La Union, Pangasinan, Ifugao, Benguet, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, and parts of Aurora, Nueva Ecija, and Zambales.

Rainfall and Flooding Risk

The typhoon is expected to bring intense to torrential rains over Cagayan, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte, with heavy to intense rains forecasted for Batanes, Ilocos Sur, and Abra. Moderate to heavy rains will likely affect Kalinga, La Union, Isabela, and Mountain Province. Flooding and landslides are a major risk in these areas, particularly in vulnerable locations.

Storm Surge Advisory: PAGASA has issued a warning for life-threatening storm surges with possible peak heights exceeding 3 meters above normal tide levels, especially along the coasts of Batanes, Cagayan (including Babuyan Islands), Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and La Union.

Sea Travel Advisory

A gale warning is also in effect over the seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon, and all sea travel remains risky due to hazardous conditions.

PAGASA expects Typhoon Marce to either make landfall in the Babuyan Islands and northern portions of mainland Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, and Apayao or pass close to these areas between Thursday afternoon and Friday.

ia/mnm