Signal No. 3 raised over parts of Cagayan, Isabela as ‘Florita’ intensifies into severe tropical storm

Tropical cyclone Florita (international name: Ma-on) further intensified into a severe tropical storm Tuesday morning, Aug. 23 and is now headed toward Isabela-Cagayan, where landfall is expected within the next few hours.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in its 5 a.m. bulletin said Florita was now packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph.

Florita’s location was estimated at 120 kilometers (km) east-northeast of Casiguran, Aurora at around 4 a.m.

“Severe tropical storm Florita will continue to gradually accelerate northwestward and is forecast to make landfall in the vicinity of the east coast of either Cagayan or north