Pepito (Man-Yi) reached typhoon strength following “rapid intensification,” while Ofel (Usagi) weakened into a severe tropical storm on Friday morning, PAGASA reported.

Cagayan. Governor Manuel Mamba says they cannot take chances with Typhoon Pepito even if it won't directly hit Cagayan. 'The ground is already saturated.'

Typhoon ‘Pepito’ further intensified late Friday, as it kept moving west northwestward over the Philippine Sea east of Eastern Visayas, with state weather

Ofel was last located 205 kilometers west-northwest of Itbayat, Batanes, moving north-northwestward at 15 kph. The cyclone is also carrying maximum sustained winds of 100 kph and gusts of up to 125 kph.

Typhoon Pepito (international name: Man-Yi), which is projected to reach super typhoon category, is expected to make landfall over Catanduanes tonight or Sunday, November 17, morning.

More areas have been placed under Signal No. 2 as Typhoon Pepito continues to intensify over the Philippine Sea. According to PAGASA’s 11 p.m. cyclone bulletin, Pepito was last seen 305 kilometers east of Guiuan,

Typhoon Pepito (international name: Man-yi) continues to “rapidly intensify”, which prompted the state weather bureau to raise Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals (TCWS) over more parts of the country Friday afternoon.