Typhoon Karen (international codename: Nuri) has slowed down slightly while crossing Babuyan Channel, the weather bureau said on Wednesday.
The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration's (PAGASA) 5 p.m. bulletin said Karen was spotted 90 kilometers west northwest of Aparri, Cagayan or 100 kilometers northeast of Laoag City.
Karen is moving west northwest at 15 kilometers per hour with maximum sustained winds of 140 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 170 kph.
PAGASA hoisted storm signal number 3 over northern Cagayan, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Batanes, Babuyan Group of Islands and Calayan Group of Islands.
Signal number 2 meanwhile, is up over the rest of Cagayan, Kalinga, Abra, Ilocos Sur, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Benguet and La Union while Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pangasinan and Zambales has signal number 1.
The weather bureau expects Karen to be 320 kms Northwest of Laoag City or 350 kms west of Basco, Batanes by Thursday afternoon.
By Friday afternon, the typhoon is expected to be 570 kms west northwest of Basco, Batanes or 220 kms east of Hong Kong.
The typhoon is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring rains over Luzon especially in the western section and Western Visayas which may trigger flashfloods and landslides.
Residents along the coastal areas under storm signal number 2 and 3 have been alerted against big waves and storm surges generated by the typhoon.
Other Stories
(UPDATE) Seven hurt in Zamboanga City grenade attack
Seven people were injured when an unidentified man on a motorcycle lobbed a grenade at an eatery in downtown Zamboanga City Wednesday evening. The attack came as the city'smayor and other local officials continued to oppose the proposal to include some of the Zamboanga's villages into the expanded Muslim autonomous region.abs-cbnNEWS.com