Typhoon "Kiko" (international name "Chanthu") has passed to the east of Babuyan Island and is now heading towards Batanes, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 5 a.m. bulletin on Saturday, Sept. 11.
As of 4 a.m., the center of the eye of the typhoon was located 75 kilometers (km) south of Basco, Batanes. It may pass close or make landfall in Batanes in the next 12 hours, PAGASA said.
Kiko has maintained its maximum sustained winds of 215 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 265 kph while moving north-northwest at 15 kph.
"The typhoon is forecast to maintain its strength while traversing the Babuyan-Batanes area in the next 12 hours but is forecast to begin weakening later today or tomorrow (Sept. 12) as Kiko undergoes another eyewall replacement cycle. While intensification into super typhoon is not the more likely scenario in the very near term, it is still not ruled out," PAGASA pointed out.
Stormy weather is still expected to prevail over parts of Cagayan Valley, Ilocos Region, and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) in the next 24 hours.
As such, tropical cyclone signal number 4 remains hoisted over Batanes and the northeastern portion of Babuyan Islands and Signal No. 3 in the northwestern and southeastern portions of Babuyan Islands.
Signal No. 2 also remains in effect in the northern portion of mainland Cagayan, and Signal No. 1 in the rest of mainland Cagayan, northern portion of Ilocos Norte, Apayao, northern portion of Kalinga, northeastern portion of Abra, and northern portion of Isabela.
Meanwhile, tropical cyclone wind signals hoisted in other areas have been lifted.
In the next 24 hours, Kiko may continue to bring heavy to intense with at times torrential rains over Babuyan Islands and Batanes, while moderate to heavy with at times intense rains are likely over Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Apayao, and Kalinga.
PAGASA warned against possible scattered to widespread flooding including flash floods and rain-induced landslides in these areas, especially those that are highly susceptible to these hazards.
Typhoon Kiko is also expected to continue to enhance the southwest monsoon or "habagat" and bring monsoon rains over Metro Manila, the rest of Ilocos Region and CAR, and western sections of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon in the next 24 hours.
It may exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Sunday evening or early Monday morning, Sept. 13.