Signal No. 2 up in Batanes as 'Jenny' further intensifies

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 2) — The province of Batanes was placed under Signal No. 2 as Typhoon Jenny continues to intensify over the Philippine Sea, the state weather bureau said late Monday evening.

Signal No. 1, meanwhile, is up over more areas in Luzon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 11 p.m. bulletin.

These areas are Cagayan including the Babuyan Islands, the northern and eastern portions of Isabela, Apayao, the northeastern portion of Abra, the northern portion of Kalinga, and Ilocos Norte.

PAGASA said Jenny is "likely at or near its peak intensity" and will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon, or habagat, and bring gusty conditions over Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Bicol Region, and most of Mimaropa, and Western Visayas.

State meteorologists also said Jenny is seen to make landfall over the southern portion of Taiwan on Thursday morning before leaving the Philippine area of responsibility in the afternoon.

Jenny was last spotted 410 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes, packing maximum sustained winds of 165 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, and gustiness of up to 205 kph.

Batanes Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer Dan Esdicul earlier said locals are securing their roofs and setting up wind shutters in preparation for heavy rains and strong wounds brought by Jenny.

"Sa bawat munisipiyo, mayroon na tayong naka-preposition na mga family food packs," Esdicul told CNN Philippines' Balitaan.

[Translation: In every municipality, we already have prepositioned family food packs.]

He added that evacuation centers are ready to receive locals who need to flee their homes.

Speaking to CNN Philippines' New Day, weather forecaster Benison Estareja said Jenny is not projected to intensify into a super typhoon, but storm signals may still be hoisted over more areas.