‘Carina’ intensified further into a severe tropical storm and poses threat to the province of Cagayan, state weather bureau PAGASA said in its 11:00 a.m. weather bulletin on Sunday.

‘Carina’ is expected to make landfall over Cagayan on Sunday afternoon and will exit Ilocos Norte late on Sunday night.

As of 10:00 a.m., the center of ‘Carina’ was estimated based on all available data at 160 km east southeast of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan (17.4 ºN, 123.2ºE) with maximum sustained winds of up to 95 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 120 kph. It is forecast to move northwest at 20 kph.

Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) No. 2 (61-120 kph expected in 24 hours) is raised in the provinces of Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Apayao, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Kalinga, Abra and Cagayan including Babuyan Group of Islands.

TCWS Signal No. 1 (30-60 kph expected in 36 hours) is hoisted over Batanes Group of Islands, Benguet, La Union, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija and Aurora.

Areas under TCWS 1 and 2, the rest of Central and of Northern Luzon and the provinces of Quezon and Camarines Norte are alerted against moderate to heavy rains which may trigger flash floods and landslides.

The estimated rainfall amount is from moderate to heavy within the 400 km diameter of the severe tropical storm.

Fisherfolks are alerted against rough to very rough seas over the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon.

‘Carina’ is expected to be at 230 km northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte on Monday morning.

By Tuesday morning is forecast to be at 820 km west northwest of Itbayat, Batanes or outside the PAR. By Wednesday morning, it is expected to be at 1,395 km west northwest of Itbayat, Batanes, which is also outside PAR. (PNA)