Manila—Aghon, the country's first tropical cyclone this year, has intensified into a severe tropical storm, the state weather bureau said Sunday.
According to Philippines News Agency, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Aghon was spotted over the coastal waters of Mauban, Quezon, with maximum sustained winds of 95 kph (kilometers per hour) and gustiness of up to 130 kph.
PAGASA has hoisted Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 over the eastern section of Quezon, including Infanta, Real, Mauban, and Polillo Islands (Panukulan, Burdeos, Patnanungan, and Polillo). Areas under TCWS No. 2 include Aurora; the northern and central portions of Quezon; Laguna; the eastern portion of Batangas; the eastern and central portions of Rizal; and the northern portion of Camarines Norte.
Areas under TCWS No. 1 include parts of Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, the rest of Quezon, Rizal, and Batangas; the northern and central portions of Oriental Mindoro; Marinduque; the extreme northern portion of Romblon; the rest of Camarines Norte; and Camarines Sur. A gale warning remains hoisted over the coastal waters of Aurora, Quezon, Marinduque, the southern coastal waters of Batangas, and the northern coastal waters of Camarines Norte.
PAGASA said Aghon will continue to move northeastward towards Polillo Islands and added that the possibility of intensifying into a typhoon while over the sea east of Quezon is not ruled out.