Typhoon Gorio leaves PAR, weakens near Taiwan

Typhoon Gorio (international name: Podul) left the Philippine Area of Responsibility at 4 pm on Wednesday, August 13, after making landfall in Taiwan.

As of 4 pm, the typhoon's center was located approximately 325 kilometers northwest of Itbayat, Batanes, moving west-northwest at 25 kilometers per hour with maximum sustained winds of 140 km/h and gusts up to 230 km/h.

PAGASA forecasts that Gorio will continue to weaken as it interacts with the terrain of Taiwan and mainland China, but Batanes may still experience moderate to heavy rain from its outer rainbands in the coming hours.

Up to rough seas are predicted over the seaboards of Batanes, and mariners of small seacraft are advised not to venture out to sea.

The enhanced Southwest Monsoon is expected to bring strong to gale-force gusts across Batanes and Babuyan Islands, along with heavy rains continuing over Batanes due to Gorio.