Typhoon Carina intensifies, enhances habagat bringing rains nationwide

Severe tropical storm Carina has intensified into a typhoon and is forecast to maintain its strength until it exits the Philippine area of responsibility on Thursday.

As of Tuesday morning, Typhoon Carina was located 380 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan, with maximum sustained winds of 130 kph and gustiness of up to 160 kph.

The typhoon is slowly moving north-northwestward at 10 kilometers per hour and is expected to further intensify over the warm waters of the northern Philippine Sea.

Typhoon Carina is enhancing the southwest monsoon, bringing moderate to intense rains across many parts of the country, specifically over Ilocos Region, Abra, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, and Northern Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo islands.

Occasional rains are expected over Metro Manila, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Rizal, Laguna, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Aklan, Antique, and the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region due to the "habagat".

The typhoon's outer rainbands are affecting parts of Northern Luzon, with winds extending outwards up to 560 kilometers from its center.

Tropical cyclone wind signal no. 1 is still hoisted over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and several other areas in Northern Luzon.

Floods and landslides are possible in areas seeing rain from Carina, and residents are warned about the potential for strong winds.