(UPDATE) MANILA, Philippines – More provinces have been placed under Signal No. 1 due to Super Typhoon "Inday," the state-run weather agency said on Wednesday, prompting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to order a full government response.
Chris Perez, assistant weather services chief of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), in a media briefing, said while Inday remained far from the landmass, it slightly intensified while moving over the Philippine Sea east of Northern Luzon.
He said Signal No. 1 has been raised over Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Apayao, Kalinga, Isabela, the northern portion of Aurora, the northeastern portion of Quirino, the eastern portion of Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, the eastern portion of Mountain Province, the northern portion of Abra in Northern Luzon and over the northern and central portions of Catanduanes in the Bicol Region.
The highest wind signal that may be hoisted throughout the passage of the super typhoon would be Signal No. 2 or 3, according to the Pagasa official.
Estimated at 1,270 kilometers east of Northern Luzon, Inday – the ninth storm to hit the country in 2026 – is moving west-northwestward at 20 kilometers per hour (kph) while packing maximum sustained winds of 195kph near the center and gustiness of up to 240kph, the national weather bureau said.
Perez said Inday would then turn northwestward while remaining over the Philippine Sea and may be nearest to extreme Northern Luzon by Friday before heading toward the southern islands of Japan and the sea north of Taiwan.
Likely to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Saturday, the super typhoon has been forecast to make landfall over the eastern coast of mainland China by Sunday, he added.
The national weather bureau said most parts of the archipelago have been experiencing scattered or isolated rain showers and thunderstorms due to the southwest monsoon locally known as "habagat."
Meanwhile, Dominguez said it would be generally fair weather in the rest of the country including Metro Manila within 24 hours but isolated downpours would be likely in late afternoon or at night owing to the effect of the localized thunderstorms.
In a press conference, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said that the president was monitoring the situation as Inday entered the country.
She also said all concerned government agencies have mobilized their personnel in response to the typhoon.
"Aside from government agencies, President Marcos Jr. himself is closely monitoring the weather and its expected developments in the coming days," Castro said.
"The President reminds the public to remain alert and closely monitor weather conditions," she added.