The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) raised Storm Signal No. 3 over the provinces of Isabela and Cagayan and northern Aurora as Typhoon Mina came closer to the eastern seaboard of Luzon with gusty winds of up to 170 kilometers per hour (kph) and rainfall of 15 to 25 millimeters per hour.
This development comes ahead of four-day long weekend, especially for residents of the Cagayan Valley region.
PAGASA said, “those living in coastal areas are alerted against big waves or storm surges generated by this tropical cyclone."
Satellite photo of Typhoon Mina as of 11 p.m., August 25, 2011 PAGASA
Storm Signal No. 2 was hoisted over Batanes, the Calayan Islands, the Babuyan group of islands, the provinces of Apayao, Kalinga, and Quirino, and the rest of Aurora province.
“Residents in low lying and mountainous areas under Public Storm Warning Signals and Southern Luzon and Visayas… are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides," PAGASA said.
State weather forecasters said the southwest monsoon will bring rain over southern Luzon and the Visayas.
The typhoon picked up its west northwest pace. ‘Mina’ is moving at 13 kph on a path that would lead out to northeast of Basco, Batanes by Saturday evening, according to the latest PAGASA storm tracking data. — Earl Victor Rosero/VS