Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No.2 was raised over Cagayan, Isabela, and Apayao on Wednesday due to“Ofel”, which became a typhoon earlier Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.

In its 5 pm bulletin, Pagasa said Signal No. 2 was raised over Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, the northern and eastern portions of Isabela (Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan, San Pablo, Cabagan, Santa Maria, Santo Tomas, Tumauini, Ilagan City), and the eastern portion of Apayao (Flora, Luna, Santa Marcela, Pudtol).

These were some of the areas where four previous typhoons had passed through in a month.

Signal No. 1 was raised over Batanes, the rest of Isabela, Quirino, the northern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kasibu, Ambaguio, Solano, Bayombong, Quezon, Bagabag, Diadi, Villaverde), Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, and the northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao).

“Ofel” is forecast to move west northwest to northwest over the Philippine Sea before making landfall along the eastern coast of Cagayan or Isabela on Thursday.

“Ofel” was last seen 480 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora and was moving west northwest at 25 kilometers per hour.

It had maximum winds of 120 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 150 kilometers per hour. Jaspearl Tan/DMS