Japan's Himawari-8 weather satellite captured images of the eyewall of super typhoon Lawin (international name Haima) almost at landfall over Cagayan province in northern Luzon on Wednesday night.

The images show the super typhoon heading directly toward northern Luzon, where many areas were placed under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 5.

Lawin, which has been classified as a "violent typhoon," the highest in the Japan Meteorological Agency's categories, was expected to make landfall late Wednesday to early morning Thursday in the Cagayan-Isabela area.

State weather bureau PAGASA, in its 8 p.m. advisory, said Lawin has maintained its strength.

The eye of the typhoon was last seen 175 kilometers east northeast of Casiguran, Aurora, packing maximum sustained winds of up to 225 kilometers per hour near the center, with gusts of up to 315 kph.

It continues to move west northwest at 25 kph.

Signal number 5 has been raised over the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Kalinga, Apayao, Northern Abra and Ilocos Norte, while the rest of Abra, Ilocos Sur, Mt. Province, Ifugao and Calayan Group of Islands is under Signal number 4.

The following areas were placed under signal number 3:

• La Union
• Benguet
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino
• Northern Aurora

Signal number 2:

• Batanes Group of Islands
• Pangasinan
• rest of Aurora
• Tarlac
• Nueva Ecija
• Northern Zambales
• Northern Quezon, including Polillo Islands

Signal number 1:

• Rest of Zambales
• Bulacan
• Bataan
• Pampanga
• Rizal
• Rest of Quezon
• Cavute
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Catanduanes
• Albay
• Metro Manila

PAGASA also warns of moderate to heavy rain within the 800-kilometer diameter of the typhoon.

Lawin is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) Thursday evening.