Manila: Typhoon Francisco continues to weaken, but wind signal no. 1 is still hoisted over some areas in Northern Luzon, the weather bureau said in its 5 p.m. bulletin on Wednesday. These areas are Batanes and the northeastern portion of Cagayan (Gonzaga, Santa Ana) including Babuyan Islands, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
According to Philippines News Agency, Francisco packs maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, and gustiness of up to 160 kph. It was last located 320 km east northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, moving northward at 15 kph. Batanes will experience heavy rains due to Francisco.
PAGASA said Francisco's periphery and the southwest monsoon (habagat) are causing strong to gale-force gusts across most of Luzon, Visayas, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, Davao Occidental, and Davao Oriental. Rough seas are forecast in the seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands.
Mariners of small seacraft, including all types of motorbancas, are advised not to venture to the sea. Francisco is forecast to gradually weaken but remain as a typhoon while inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
