TYPHOON Gorio (international name: Podul) intensified further on Wednesday morning as it approached southern Taiwan, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.
In its 11 a.m. bulletin, Pagasa said the typhoon was last spotted 160 kilometers north of Itbayat, Batanes, packing maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 215 kph. It was moving west at 25 kph.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 remained hoisted over Itbayat, while TCWS No. 1 was in effect for the rest of Batanes.
The weather bureau added that Gorio was enhancing the southwest monsoon, or habagat, which is expected to bring rain and strong to gale-force gusts over the Babuyan Islands, the northern portion of mainland Cagayan, the eastern portion of Isabela, and the northern portion of Ilocos Norte.
Pagasa said Gorio is expected to make landfall over the eastern coast of southern Taiwan on Wednesday morning, remain a typhoon until landfall, and weaken thereafter. The system may exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Wednesday afternoon or evening.
