Typhoon ‘Henry’ maintains strength as it moves toward Batanes, Taiwan

Typhoon ‘Henry’ satellite image courtesy of PAGASA

MANILA — Typhoon “Henry” has maintained its strength and speed as it traverses Balintang Channel towards the eastern coast of Batanes, according to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Tuesday.

In an interview, PAGASA weather forecaster Gener Quitlong said that as of 4 a.m. the eye of typhoon “Henry” was located at 280 km northeast of Aparri, Cagayan or 240 km southeast of Basco, Batanes (19.6°N, 124.2°E) packed with maximum sustained winds of 130 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 160 kph.

It continues to move northwest at 24 kph.

With its speed and movement, Quitlong said typhoon Henry is expected to make a landfall in Taiwan and will be out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Wednesday.

He added typhoon Henry is expected to bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains over Ilocos Region, CAR and Cagayan Valley while enhancing southwest monsoon the rest of Luzon and Western Visayas will experience monsoon rains.

“Residents in these areas are advised to be alert against possible flash floods and landslides,” PAGASA warned.

The estimated rainfall amount is from 7.5 – 15 mm per hour (moderate to heavy) within the 500 km diameter of the typhoon.

Quitlong said Batanes Group of Islands remains under public storm warning signal No. 2 while storm warning signal No. 1 was hoisted over Cagayan including Babuyan and Calayan Group of Islands.

He said these areas were expected to have gusty winds with moderate to occasionally heavy rains on Tuesday.

He warned residents under public storm warning signals against possible flash floods and landslides due to heavy rains.

Meanwhile, Quitlong said the western sections of Visayas and Luzon, including Metro Manila will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rains because of the effects of the cyclone-enhanced southwest monsoon.

He noted that Mindanao and the rest of the Visayas and Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rains.

Typhoon Henry was expected to be at 370 km north of Basco, Batanes or in the vicinity of central Taiwan by Wednesday morning and at 820 km northwest of Basco, Batanes by Thursday morning.

PAGASA also said fisherfolks and those with small sea crafts are advised not to venture out over the eastern, southern and western seaboards of Luzon and the seaboards of Visayas due to winds brought by the typhoon.