Signal No. 2 in Batanes still up as Ineng spotted off south Taiwan

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 remained hoisted over Batanes on Saturday afternoon even as Severe Tropical Storm Ineng made its way to waters off the southern coast of Pintung County in Taiwan.

As of PAGASA's 2 p.m. advisory, TCWS No. 2 in Northern Abra has been lifted, but TCWS No. 1 was still hoisted over Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte.

The severe tropical storm was still expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Saturday afternoon.

As of 1 p.m., the eye of Ineng was spotted 185 kilometers northwest of Basco, Batanes, packing maximum sustained winds of 100 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 125 kph.

It continued to move west-northwest at a slightly slower speed of 25 kph.

PAGASA said moderate to heavy rains will affect the Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Batanes, Cagayan (including Babuyan Islands), Zambales, Bataan, Mindoro Provinces, and the northern portions of Palawan (including Calamian and Cuyo Islands).

Meanwhile, light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains will be experienced over Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Aklan, Antique, Iloilo, Guimaras, and the rest of Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon.

Residents in the said areas, especially those living in areas identified to be highly or very highly susceptible to floods and rain-induced landslides, are advised to take appropriate actions, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and continue monitoring for updates.

Sea travel also remains "risky" over the seaboards of areas under TCWS and the seaboards of Luzon due to potentially rough sea conditions. —Margaret Claire Layug/KG, GMA News