MANILA, Philippines – Carina (Gaemi) intensified from a typhoon into a super typhoon on Wednesday afternoon, July 24, ahead of its expected landfall in Taiwan.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 5 pm bulletin on Wednesday that Carina now has maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour from the previous 165 km/h. Its gustiness is now up to 230 km/h from 205 km/h.

The super typhoon was last spotted 380 kilometers north of Itbayat, Batanes, moving northwest toward Taiwan at a slightly faster 20 km/h from 15 km/h. Taiwan is within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

Carina is projected to make landfall in the northern part of Taiwan on Wednesday evening, then exit PAR on Thursday morning, July 25.

While Carina did not make landfall in the Philippines, it has been affecting parts of Northern Luzon and enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat.

PAGASA said the super typhoon will still bring moderate to heavy rain (50-100 millimeters) to Batanes and Babuyan Islands in the next 24 hours.

Several areas also remain under tropical cyclone wind signals as of 5 pm on Wednesday.

Signal No. 2

Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property

• Batanes

Signal No. 1

Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property

• Babuyan Islands
• northern part of mainland Cagayan (Claveria, Santa Praxedes, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Santa Ana, Gonzaga)
• northern part of Ilocos Norte (Burgos, Bangui, Pagudpud, Dumalneg, Adams)

Meanwhile, PAGASA warned that the enhanced southwest monsoon, which led to the declaration of a state of calamity for Metro Manila, will bring more rain to parts of Luzon in the next two days.

Metro Manila has been dealing with heavy to intense rain nonstop since early Wednesday, and could still have moderate to heavy rain on Thursday. Massive floods have hit the capital region, forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes.

Here is PAGASA’s latest rainfall forecast:

Wednesday, July 24

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Abra, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): rest of Cordillera Administrative Region, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, rest of Calabarzon

Thursday, July 25

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Benguet, Abra
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Metro Manila, Cavite, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, rest of Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro

Friday, July 26

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Zambales, Bataan, Benguet

Strong to gale-force gusts from the enhanced southwest monsoon will persist in these regions and provinces as well:

Wednesday, July 24

• Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, eastern part of Isabela, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Davao Region

Thursday, July 25

• Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, eastern part of Isabela, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Negros Occidental, Northern Samar

Friday, July 26

• Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, eastern part of Isabela, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas

For coastal waters, a new gale warning was released at 5 pm on Wednesday for Batanes, Babuyan Islands, the northern part of Ilocos Norte, and the northern part of Cagayan. Travel remains risky for small boats due to rough to very rough seas (waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high).

Aside from areas under the gale warning, the seaboards listed below will continue to be affected by Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon. It is also not advisable for small boats to venture out to sea.

• seaboards of Northern Luzon outside gale warning areas and western seaboard of Central Luzon – rough seas (waves 2.5 to 4 meters high)
• western seaboard of Southern Luzon – moderate to rough seas (waves 1.5 to 3.5 meters high)
• eastern seaboards of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon – moderate to rough seas (waves 1.5 to 3 meters high)
• southern seaboard of Southern Luzon – moderate seas (waves 1.5 to 2.5 meters high)
• western and eastern seaboards of the Visayas as well as eastern seaboard of Mindanao – moderate seas (waves 1.5 to 2 meters high)

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Carina’s upcoming landfall in Taiwan “will trigger a weakening trend” due to the “rugged terrain” there, according to PAGASA.

Once Carina leaves PAR, it will “cross the Taiwan Strait and make its final landfall over southeastern China” on Thursday afternoon or evening.

Carina is the Philippines’ third tropical cyclone for 2024 and the second for July. PAGASA previously estimated there may be two or three tropical cyclones during the month. – Rappler.com