Typhoon Marce (international name: Yinxing) battered northern Luzon as it moved over the Babuyan Channel on Thursday night, the state weather bureau said.
In its 8 p.m. weather bulletin, PAGASA said the center of Marce was last located over the coastal waters of Aparri, Cagayan, packing maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour near the center, with gusts of up to 240 kph.
Signal No. 4 was hoisted over the northern portion of Cagayan including the Babuyan Islands, the northern portion of Apayao, and the northern portion Ilocos Norte, where typhoon-force winds can be expected within 12 hours.
Signal No. 3 is also raised over the following areas:
• Batanes
• Rest of Cagayan
• Rest of Apayao
• Rest of Ilocos Norte
• Northern portion of Abra (Tineg, Danglas, Lagayan, Lacub, San Juan, La Paz, Bangued)
• Northern portion of Ilocos Sur (Sinait, Cabugao, San Juan, Magsingal, Santo Domingo)
The following areas are also under Signal No. 2:
• Northern and central portions of Isabela (San Pablo, Santa Maria, Divilacan, Tumauini, Maconacon, Cabagan, Santo Tomas, Quezon, Palanan, Ilagan City, Mallig, Delfin Albano, Quirino, San Mariano, Gamu, Roxas, Naguilian, Burgos, Reina Mercedes, Benito Soliven, Luna, Aurora, San Manuel, San Mateo, Alicia, Angadanan, City of Cauayan, Cabatuan)
• Rest of Abra
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Northern portion of Ifugao (Alfonso Lista, Aguinaldo, Mayoyao, Banaue, Hungduan)
• Northern portion of Benguet (Bakun, Mankayan)
• Rest of Ilocos Sur
• Northern portion of La Union (Sudipen, Bangar, Balaoan, Luna, Santol)
Signal No. 1 remains hoisted over the following areas:
• Rest of La Union
• Pangasinan
• Rest of Ifugao
• Rest of Benguet
• Rest of Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Northern and central portions of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler)
• Northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan)
• Northern portion of Zambales (Santa Cruz, Candelaria)
Marce is currently moving northwestward at 10 kph, and is expected to move westward before emerging over Aparri Bay.
It will possibly make another landfall along the coast of northwestern mainland Cagayan Thursday night, and will emerge over the West Philippines on Friday.
PAGASA also said that regardless of the position of the center of the eye of the typhoon in the next several hours, potentially life threatening conditions due to typhoon-force winds, storm surge inundation, and torrential rainfall will be experienced in the Babuyan Islands and the northern portions of mainland Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, and Apayao.
After crossing the northern portion of Northern Luzon, Marce will continue moving westward and exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Friday afternoon or evening.
The possibility of reaching super typhoon category after crossing northeastern Cagayan is "still not ruled out", PAGASA added.