JUST before noon, the state weather forecasters raised storm signal no. 4 in the province of Cagayan as now Super Typhoon Egay maintained its strength moving closer to northern Luzon.
According to PAGASA, Egay was last monitored 270 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan at 10 a.m.
It continued to pack maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour near the center and 230 kph gusts.
Estimates by PAGASA said that the storm could directly hit or pass very close to mainland Cagayan or the Babuyan Islands between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning.
The storm is expected to bring more than 200 millimeters (7.9 inches) of rain in the said areas, including Batanes, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur until Wednesday noon.
They also warned of storm surges that can be more than three meters in height and could damage low-lying areas in Batanes, Cagayan, Babuyan Islands, Isabela, and Ilocos Norte.
PAGASA promptly raised Signal No. 4 over Sta Ana town in Cagayan. The said town is expected to take the brunt of strong winds and rains ” to severe threat to life and property.”
Meanwhile, signal no. 3 is up in following areas: Babuyan Islands; northern and eastern Cagayan (Gonzaga, Peñablanca, Gattaran, Lal-Lo, Alcala, Santa Teresita, Buguey, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Ballesteros, Allacapan, Abulug, Claveria, Pamplona, Sanchez-Mira, Santa Praxedes, Lasam, Baggao, Amulung, Iguig); Northeastern Isabela (Divilacan, Maconacon, Palanan); Northern Apayao (Calanasan, Luna, Santa Marcela, Flora, Pudtol).
Signal no. 2 on the other hand is raised in Batanes; Rest of mainland Cagayan; Rest of Isabela; Quirino; Northern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kasibu, Quezon, Diadi, Bagabag, Ambaguio, Villaverde, Solano, Bayombong); Rest of Apayao; Kalinga, Abra, Mountain Province, Ifugao; Northern portion of Benguet (Bakun, Mankayan, Buguias, Kabayan, Kibungan); Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur; Northern and central portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao).
While hoisted under signal no. 1 include La Union, Pangasinan, the rest of Benguet, the rest of Nueva Vizcaya, the rest of Aurora, Zambales, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Quezon, Marinduque, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Burias Island, and Ticao Island.
