The province of Batanes remained under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal Number One as Typhoon ''Hanna'' intensified while it continued to move towards the east of Taiwan.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said areas under signal number one may experience "minimal to minor impact from strong winds".

As of 5pm, Hanna was last spotted at 375 east-northeast of Itbayat, Batanes with maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 170 kilometers per hour while moving west-northwest at the speed of 20 kilometers per hour.

Based on the forecast of the state weather bureau, ''Hanna'' will continue "to move west northwestward or westward while intensifying until it makes landfall along the east coast of southern Taiwan on late Sunday."

"Considerable weakening is expected as a result of Hanna crossing the rugged landmass of Taiwan. On the forecast track, Hanna will exit the Philippine area of responsibility and emerge over the Taiwan Strait around Monday morning or afternoon," it stated.

Pagasa also noted that Hanna and the two other tropical cyclone in the country (Saola and Kirogi) will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon that will bring occasional to monsoon rains over the western portion of Luzon in the next three days. Robina Asido/DMS