The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that "Kristine" intensified into a severe tropical storm as it picked up its speed moving west at 20 km/h on Wednesday afternoon.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal Number Three was raised at several areas in Northern Luzon where "Kristine" was forecast to landfall while Metro Manila remains under signal number two.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) told The Daily Manila Shimbun that the intensification of the typhoon was around 2 pm of Wednesday afternoon with 730 km rain band and central pressure of 980 hectopascals.

In its 5pm Pagasa bulletin, "Kristine" was located at 175 km east of Echague, Isabela with maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h and gusts of up to 115 km/hr.

Bicol Regional Police said there were three dead, one missing, and six injured. The number of evacuees reached 20,662 families or 67,733 individuals. 303 barangays were flooded in the region.

Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Bicol Region spokesperson Gremil Alexis Naz said in a radio interview that they are verifying two deaths and five missing.

"One of them is a 22 year old male from Masbate who died due to tree branch that fell on him and a 71 year old male from Bagamanoc Catanduanes who fell from a house roof", Naz also disclosed that the they the five missing individuals were fishermen from Masbate who sailed before a warning was disclosed to the region.

Signal Number Three was hoisted at Isabela, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, the central portion of Abra (Malibcong, Licuan-Baay, Sallapadan, Daguioman, Bucloc, Boliney, Tubo, Luba, Manabo, Bucay, Villaviciosa, Pilar, San Isidro, Pe), Benguet, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, northern and central portions of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler), the northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Lupao, San Jose City, Pantabangan), Pangasinan, La Union, and the central and southern portions of Ilocos Sur (Cervantes, Quirino, Sigay, Suyo, Alilem, Sugpon, Tagudin, Santa Cruz, Salcedo, Gregorio del Pilar, San Emilio, Lidlidda, Burgos, San Esteban, Santiago, Banayoyo, Galimuyod, City of Candon, Santa Lucia, Nagbukel, Santa Maria, Narvacan).

Areas under Signal Number Two include Ilocos Norte, the rest of Ilocos Sur, Apayao, the rest of Abra, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, the rest of Aurora, the rest of Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Quezon including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Catanduane.

Under Signal Number One were Batanes, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Calamian Islands, Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands. Marie Manalili/DMS