Typhoon Inday heads toward southern Japan

Typhoon Inday maintained its strength as it moved north northwestward toward the southern islands of Japan, the state weather bureau PAGASA said Friday afternoon.

As of 4 p.m., Inday was located 525 kilometers east northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, packing maximum sustained winds of 140 km/h and gustiness of up to 170 km/h.

Moving north northwestward at 20 km/h, Inday is expected to pass closest to Extreme Northern Luzon between Friday night and early Saturday morning.

“Afterwards, Inday will move toward the southern islands of Japan and may pass close over the northern coast of Taiwan. It will then exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by tomorrow morning or afternoon and make landfall over the eastern coast of mainland China by tomorrow evening or early Sunday morning,” PAGASA said.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 was raised over Batanes, the eastern portion of the Babuyan Islands (Babuyan Island, Didicas Island, and Camiguin Island), and the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan, including Santa Ana.

Areas under Signal No. 1 are:

* The rest of the Babuyan Islands
* The rest of mainland Cagayan
* Isabela
* Apayao
* Northern Abra, including Tineg, Lagayan, Danglas, San Juan, Lagangilang, Licuan-Baay, Malibcong, Lacub, Daguioman, Dolores, and La Paz
* Kalinga
* The eastern portion of Mountain Province, including Natonin and Paracelis
* The eastern portion of Ifugao, including Aguinaldo and Alfonso Lista
* Ilocos Norte

PAGASA said Inday is expected to bring the following weather conditions:

* Stormy conditions: Batanes
* Rains and gusty winds: Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, and Isabela
* Cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms: the rest of Ilocos Region, the rest of Cagayan Valley, Aurora, and Nueva Ecija

Meanwhile, the Southwest Monsoon or Habagat will continue to affect the rest of the country.

PAGASA warned of possible flash floods and landslides due to moderate to heavy rains brought by Typhoon Inday and the Habagat.

Moderate to strong winds and moderate to rough seas are expected over the Visayas, the rest of Luzon, and northern and eastern Mindanao, with waves reaching up to 3.4 meters in Luzon and up to 3.1 meters in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Moderate winds and moderate coastal waters are forecast over the rest of Mindanao, where waves may reach up to 2.5 meters.

Sunrise in Metro Manila will be at 5:34 a.m. on Saturday. — VBL, GMA News