Kujira, packing maximum winds of 160 kilometers (99.2 miles) per hour, was charted at 4:00 am Monday (2000 GMT Sunday), about 390 kilometers (242 miles) southeast of Basco, the capital of the Batanes island chain, the government weather station said.

The typhoon, moving northwest at 13 kilometers (8.1 miles) per hour, is expected to be just 50 kilometers (31 miles) northwest of Basco by Wednesday.

The second level of the three-stage storm alert has been raised over the Batanes islands while the first level alert has been hoisted over the northern provinces of the main Philippine island of Luzon.

Civil defense officials said disaster relief and rescue personnel in those areas have been placed on alert.

SPACE.WIRE