Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4 is in effect over several areas as Typhoon Emong maintained its strength while nearing landfall over western Pangasinan, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

As of Thursday, the center of the eye of Typhoon Emong was estimated over the coastal waters of Burgos, Pangasinan. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center and gusts of up to 165 km/h.

Signal No. 4 has been hoisted over the following areas:

• Southwestern portion of Ilocos Sur: Santa Lucia, Santa Cruz, Tagudin

• Northwestern portion of La Union: Bangar, Luna, Balaoan, Bacnotan, San Juan, San Fernando City

• Extreme northwestern portion of Pangasinan: Agno, Bani, Bolinao, Anda, Alaminos

Signal No. 3 is raised over:

• Southern portion of Ilocos Norte: Laoag City, San Nicolas, Sarrat, Dingras, Solsona, Nueva Era, City of Batac, Marcos, Paoay, Currimao, Banna, Pinili, Badoc

• The rest of Ilocos Sur

• The rest of La Union

• Northern and western portions of Pangasinan: Burgos, Dasol, Mabini, Lingayen, Bugallon, Infanta, Labrador, Sual, Dagupan City, San Fabian, Binmaley

• Abra

• Western portion of Mountain Province: Besao, Tadian, Sagada, Bauko

• Western portion of Benguet: Sablan, Kapangan, Mankayan, Tuba, Bakun, Kibungan

Signal No. 2 is in effect over:

• The rest of Ilocos Norte

• The rest of Pangasinan

• Apayao

• Kalinga

• The rest of Mountain Province

• Ifugao

• The rest of Benguet

• Babuyan Islands

• Northern and western portions of mainland Cagayan: Rizal, Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Allacapan, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Lal-Lo, Lasam, Santo Niño, Piat, Tuao

• Western portion of Nueva Vizcaya: Kayapa, Santa Fe, Ambaguio, Aritao, Bambang, Bayombong, Villaverde, Solano, Bagabag

• Northern portion of Zambales: Masinloc, Candelaria, Santa Cruz, Palauig, Iba

Signal No. 1 is hoisted over:

• Batanes

• The rest of Cagayan

• Western and central portions of Isabela: Santo Tomas, Delfin Albano, Quezon, Mallig, Quirino, Roxas, San Manuel, Aurora, San Mateo, Ramon, Cordon, Burgos, Cabatuan, Cabagan, San Pablo, Santa Maria, Tumauini, Gamu, Luna, Maconacon, Alicia, San Mariano, Naguilian, San Guillermo, City of Cauayan, Echague, Ilagan City, Angadanan, Benito Soliven, City of Santiago, Reina Mercedes, San Agustin, Divilacan, San Isidro, Jones

• Quirino

• The rest of Nueva Vizcaya

• The rest of Zambales

• Northern portion of Bataan: Dinalupihan, Hermosa, Morong

• Tarlac

• Northern portion of Pampanga: Porac, Floridablanca, Angeles City, Mabalacat City, Magalang

• Western and central portions of Nueva Ecija: Carranglan, Lupao, Talugtug, Cuyapo, Nampicuan, Guimba, Science City of Muñoz, San Jose City, Pantabangan, Rizal, Llanera, Talavera, Santo Domingo, Quezon, Licab, Aliaga, Zaragoza, San Antonio, Jaen, Cabanatuan City, Santa Rosa, General Mamerto Natividad, Palayan City, Bongabon, Laur

PAGASA warned of a moderate to high risk of life-threatening storm surge, with peak heights reaching one to three meters within 24 hours. Areas at risk include low-lying and coastal communities in Batanes, northern mainland Cagayan, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, and Zambales.

Typhoon Emong is forecast to make landfall or pass very close to western Pangasinan Thursday evening. It may also make landfall in La Union or Ilocos Sur late Thursday night or early Friday morning.

The typhoon is expected to cross the mountainous terrain of Northern Luzon and emerge over the Babuyan Channel by Friday morning or noon. Afterward, it is forecast to move northeastward and pass near or over the Babuyan Islands between Friday noon and afternoon, and possibly pass near Batanes by Friday afternoon or evening.