Several areas in Luzon and Visayas were placed under storm warnings on Monday as Typhoon Egay continued to gain strength while traversing the Philippine Sea.

Egay was spotted 565 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora as of 4 a.m. Monday, with maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 170 km/h, according to the state weather bureau PAGASA’s 5 a.m. update. 

Moving westward at 15 km/h, Egay is forecast to reach super typhoon category by late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

The following areas were placed under Signal No. 2:

LUZON:

The southeastern portion of Isabela (Palanan, Dinapigue) and northeastern portion of Catanduanes (Pandan, Bagamanoc, Panganiban, Viga, Gigmoto)

Signal No. 1 was hoisted over the following areas:

LUZON:

Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, the rest of Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, the northern portion of Pangasinan (Natividad, San Nicolas, San Quintin, Sison, Pozorrubio, San Manuel, San Fabian, Anda, Bolinao, San Jacinto, Manaoag, Laoac, Binalonan, Asingan, Tayug, Santa Maria, Umingan, Dagupan City, Mangaldan), Aurora, the northern and eastern portions of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Bongabon, Gabaldon, Pantabangan, Lupao, San Jose City), the northern and southeastern portions of Quezon (Pitogo, San Andres, Buenavista, San Francisco, Calauag, Infanta, Lopez, Catanauan, Mulanay, Guinayangan, Unisan, General Luna, Plaridel, Quezon, Alabat, Padre Burgos, Macalelon, Mauban, General Nakar, Perez, Agdangan, Gumaca, Atimonan, Real, San Narciso, Tagkawayan) including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, the rest of Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate

VISAYAS:

Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar and Biliran

PAGASA said Egay may also enhance the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat), bringing occasional to monsoon rains over the western portions of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, and Visayas in the next three days.

“On the track forecast, this typhoon is forecast to cross the Luzon Strait and make landfall or pass very close to the Babuyan Islands-Batanes area between tomorrow late evening and Wednesday afternoon. Typhoon Egay may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday as it moves over the waters southwest of Taiwan,” it said.