MANILA - Preparations are in place in the province of Cagayan as severe tropical storm Siony moved closer to Batanes and Babuyan Islands on Friday morning.

“Awa ng Diyos, nakapag-preposition naman lahat including our assets para tutulong, especially in the northern towns of Cagayan,” said Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba.

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Mamba said there is nothing out of the ordinary being reported as of press time even in Calayan in the Babuyan Group of Islands.

“Wala naman tayong evacuees doon although meron tayong gale warning doon and of course, 'yung warning ng NDRRMC (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council) 'yung possible storm surge of 1 to 2 meters. As of this time, wala namang insidente, flooding na nangyayari. Merong konting ulan at konting hanging,” Mamba said in an interview on TeleRadyo.

• Storm Siony may hit Batanes Friday

Siony was last spotted 70 kilometers east of Itbayat, Batanes at 4 a.m. with maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph, said PAGASA in its 5 a.m. bulletin.

Siony is expected to make landfall or closely approach the vicinity of Itbayat, Batanes within the next 2 to 3 hours. It is forecast to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) by Friday evening.

Tropical cyclone wind signal no. 2, where 61 kilometers per hour to 120 kph of winds is expected within 24 hours, is up over Batanes and Babuyan Islands.

“Nakalista 'yung pwedeng i-evacuate pero at this point, wala kaming preemptive evacuation in place sa Cagayan, especially doon sa Babuyan Island,” Mamba said.

He said school buildings would be used as evacuations except those identified as COVID-19 quarantine and isolation facilities.

The province, he said, had a predisaster meeting 3 days ago to prepare for the typhoon and its possible impact.

“Nakahanda kami kay Rolly noon, nakahanda kami ngayong darating si Siony,” he said.