Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 11) — The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has downgraded the storm alert hoisted over Batanes to Signal No. 2 as Typhoon Kiko moved farther away.
In its 11 p.m. bulletin on Saturday, the state weather bureau said areas under Signal No. 2 may still experience damaging gale-force to storm-force winds within 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Babuyan Islands are under the lowest storm alert, which warns of possible strong winds.
Kiko will also continue to enhance the Southwest Monsoon, which will bring rains over Metro Manila, the rest of Ilocos Region and Cordillera Administrative Region, and the western sections of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon in the next 24 hours.
The typhoon is forecast to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility—the country’s monitoring area—Sunday afternoon or evening while further weakening.
It earlier made landfall in Ivana, Batanes at 8:30 a.m.
In the next 24 hours, PAGASA said Kiko will bring heavy to intense with at times torrential rains over Batanes.
Kiko was last located 145 kilometers north of Itbayat, Batanes over the sea, east of Taiwan – packing maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 230 kph. It is moving north northeastward at 15 kph.
Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains are also likely over Babuyan Islands, the northern portion of mainland Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Apayao, and Kalinga, the weather agency added.
