A typhoon packing winds of up to 185 kph and gusts of up to 230 kph is nearing northern Luzon and could become a supertyphoon before it makes landfall in Cagayan province early Thursday.

Weather forecaster Aldzar Aurelio said Tuesday the typhoon, locally named Lawin, was spotted at 930 kilometers east of Tayabas, Quezon. It was moving west northwest at 25 kph.

Signal number 1 was raised in some areas in Luzon, Aurelio said.

Esperanza Cayanan, an official of the state weather forecasting agency, said the rain diameter of Lawin is 650 kilometers, or 150 kilometers larger than Typhoon Yolanda, which smashed Leyte province in 2013.

These areas are Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Cagayan including Calayan group of Islands, Batanes group of Islands, Isabela, Kalinga, Abra, Ilocos Sur, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, La Union, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Catanduanes and Polillo Islands.

After Lawin makes landfall over Cagayan, forecasters said it will cross Apayao and Ilocos Norte.

Some of these areas were affected by a strong typhoon that struck the country last weekend. Around 2.5 billion pesos worth of crops and livestock were destroyed, disaster risk reduction officials said.

Ricardo Jalad, executive director of the National Risk Reduction and Management Council, said a red alert imposed when Typhoon Karen struck last week remains.

The social welfare department said there are 6,201 families or 23,450 persons in evacuation centers in five regions.

The weather bureau warned signal number 4 or 5 might be raised in Cagayan including the Calayan Group of Islands, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, and Northern Isabela by Wednesday evening.

Rains and gusty winds with moderate to rough seas will be experienced over the provinces of Cagayan including Calayan Group of Islands, over Isabela, Quirino, Aurora, Polillo Islands and Catanduanes.

Light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms will prevail over Eastern Visayas, CARAGA, Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, while isolated rain showers and thunderstorms will prevail over the rest of the country. Ella Dionisio, Robina Asido/DMS