MANILA, Philippines — Super Typhoon Nando barreled toward the northern Philippines on Monday, packing ferocious winds of 205 kph (127 mph) and threatening to slam into the Babuyan Islands with potentially devastating force, weather officials warned.
The storm, known internationally as Ragasa, could pass close to or make landfall over the remote island chain by noon or afternoon, prompting the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to raise its highest alert, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 5, in parts of the Babuyan Islands. Gusts up to 250 kph (155 mph) were reported near the typhoon’s center, capable of uprooting trees, toppling power lines and causing widespread destruction.
As of 4 a.m., Nando was tracked 245 kilometers (152 miles) east of Calayan in Cagayan province, moving steadily westward, PAGASA said in its 5 a.m. bulletin. “Catastrophic violent winds and intense to torrential rainfall” are expected in areas under Signal No. 5, including the northern portions of Babuyan, Didicas, Panuitan and Calayan islands, the agency said.
Lower but still dangerous alerts blanketed broader swaths of northern Luzon. Signal No. 4, signaling typhoon-force winds, was hoisted over the southeastern tip of Batanes province — including Basco, Mahatao, Ivana, Uyugan and Sabtang — along with the rest of the Babuyan Islands and the northeastern edge of mainland Cagayan, such as Santa Ana.
Storm-force winds under Signal No. 3 extended to the rest of Batanes, northern and central Cagayan (including Gonzaga, Lal-Lo and Aparri), parts of Apayao and Ilocos Norte. Gale-force conditions under Signal No. 2 covered the remainder of Cagayan, Isabela, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, northern Benguet, northeastern Nueva Vizcaya and much of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and northern La Union.
Even farther south, Signal No. 1 brought strong winds to the rest of Nueva Vizcaya and Benguet, plus La Union, Pangasinan, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales and northern Quezon, including the Polillo Islands.
The typhoon’s influence stretched beyond Luzon, with its trough and the southwest monsoon fueling strong to gale-force gusts across Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, the Bicol Region, Mimaropa, the Visayas and parts of Mindanao, including Northern Mindanao, Caraga, Zamboanga Peninsula, BARMM, Soccsksargen and Davao Region.
Maritime dangers loomed large, with a gale warning issued for the seaboards of Northern Luzon and eastern Central Luzon, urging vessels to seek shelter. PAGASA also flagged a high risk of life-threatening storm surges exceeding 3 meters (10 feet) within the next 24 hours along low-lying coasts in Batanes, Cagayan (including the Babuyan Islands), Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.
Evacuations were underway in vulnerable areas, though PAGASA did not provide immediate details on displacements or preparations. Residents in affected zones were advised to secure homes, stock up on supplies and heed local warnings as the storm’s path remained subject to slight shifts.
Nando is the latest in a series of powerful typhoons to test the Philippines this season, a nation frequently battered by extreme weather due to its position in the Pacific typhoon belt.
