MANILA, Philippines — More areas have been placed under Signal No. 2 as Typhoon “Ofel” threatens Northern Luzon, the state weather agency said Wednesday.

Affected areas are Cagayan, including the Babuyan Islands, the northern and eastern parts of Isabela (Maconacon, Divilacan, Palenen, San Pablo, Cabagan, Santa Maria, Santo Tomas, Tumauini, and Ilagan City), and the eastern part of Apayao (Flora, Luna), Santa Marcela and Pudtol).

Under Signal No. 1 Batanes, rest of Isabela, Quirino, northern part of Nueva Vizcaya (Kasibu, Ambaguio, Solano, Bayombong, Quezon, Bagabag, Diadi and Villaverde), Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mountain Province, Ifugao , Ilocos Norte and the northern part of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan and Dipaculao).

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Ofel is estimated about 480 kilometers east of Baler in Aurora, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its 5 p.m. bulletin.

Moving west-northwestward at 25 kilometers per hour (kph), the typhoon has maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 150 kilometers per hour.

Pagasa Executive Nathaniel Servando said Ofel is expected to land on the east coast of Cagayan or Isabela on Thursday.

It will then emerge over the Luzon Strait on Friday and pass near or make landfall on the Babuyan Islands, then turn northeast toward the sea east of Taiwan on Saturday, he said. Manila Times Via Viber.

He added that the typhoon could steadily intensify within 24 hours and possibly make landfall during its peak.

“Landfall will trigger a weakening trend that will continue for the remainder of the forecast period,” the Pagasa chief said.