PAGASA upgrades storm signal to No. 3 for over 15 areas in Luzon, maintains Typhoon Nika's strength

PAGASA has upgraded the storm signal to No. 3 for over 15 areas in Luzon and maintained typhoon 'Nika' (international name: Toraji) at its current strength as it approaches Aurora province, which may be hit on Monday morning.

At 2 a.m., PAGASA reported that Nika's eye was spotted at 1 a.m. Sunday, located about 190 km east of Baler, Aurora or 145 km east-southeast of Casiguran, Aurora.

Nika has maximum sustained winds near its center reaching up to 110 km/h and gusts up to 135 km/h.

Signal No. 3 areas include the southern portion of Cagayan (Enrile, Solana, Tuao, Tuguegarao City), Isabela, northern Quirino (Diffun, Cabarroguis, Aglipay, Maddela, Saguday), northern Nueva Vizcaya (Diadi, Bagabag, Quezon, Solano, Villaverde, Kasibu, Ambaguio, Bayombong), southern Apayao (Cervantes, Quirino, San Emilio), Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, eastern Ilocos Sur (Cervantes, Quirino, San Emilio), and northern Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan).

Signal No. 2 areas now cover parts of Ilocos Norte, the rest of Ilocos Sur, La Union, northeastern Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Natividad, San Quintin, Sison, San Manuel, Umingan, Tayug), the rest of Apayao, Benguet, central Cagayan, the rest of Quirino, the rest of Nueva Vizcaya, central Aurora, and northern Nueva Ecija.

Signal No. 1 areas remain in parts of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, the rest of Pangasinan, the rest of Aurora, Tarlac, Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Rizal, eastern Laguna, Quezon, Camarines Norte and Sur, Catanduanes, and Polillo Islands.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordered the suspension of classes in all levels for public and private schools heavily affected by the typhoon.