Tropical storm Egay has intensified into a severe tropical storm (STS) status while accelerating westward in the Philippine Sea, the state weather bureau reported on Sunday, July 23.

Based on its 11 AM bulletin, PAGASA said STS Egay was last spotted 610 km East of Daet, Camarines Norte, packing a maximum sustained winds of 95 kPh near the center, gustiness of up to 115 kPh, and central pressure of 985 hPa.

STS Egay is moving westward at the speed of 15 kilometers per hour (kPh) and is forecasted to move slowly in the next 12 hours.

“Afterwards, it will turn generally northwestward for the remainder of the forecast period,” the state weather bureau said.

PAGASA is not ruling out the possibility that STS EGay will landfall in the vicinity of Extreme Northern Luzon.

“On the track forecast, EGAY will be closest to Extreme Northern Luzon on Wednesday and make landfall over the east coast of Taiwan on Thursday morning,” it noted.

The state weather bureau said STS may develop into a typhoon within 24 hours and may become a super typhoon on Tuesday, July 25.

STS Egay may weaken by Wednesday, July 26 until it makes landfall in Taiwan.

PAGASA said Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals (TCWS) may be hoisted in some areas of Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas.

It mentioned that Extreme Northern Luzon may be placed under the highest TCWS No. 3 or TCWS No. 4.

“However, should a southward shift in the track occur, higher wind signals may be hoisted,” the state weather added.

According to PAGASA, generally higher rainfall is expected in elevated or mountainous areas.

“Under these conditions, flooding and rain induced landslides are possible, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazard as identified in hazard maps and in localities that experienced considerable amounts of rainfall for the past several days,” it noted.

PAGASA further said that STS Egay may intensify the southeast monsoon or habagat which is expected to cause occasional rains over several areas in the next three days.