MANILA (UPDATED) — Typhoon Betty kept its strength and sped up as it moved over the sea northeast of Batanes before noon on Wednesday, while the habagat threatened to bring rains in some parts of the country, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

Betty was spotted 410 kilometers east northeast of Itbayat, Batanes at 4 p.m., packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center and 150 kph gusts, PAGASA said.

Tropical cyclone signal no. 1 is still raised over Batanes and the eastern portion of Babuyan Islands, where winds could damage structures made of light materials and break some trees, the weather forecaster said.

Betty is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat in the next 3 days, PAGASA said.

It said the enhanced southwest monsoon would bring occasional to frequent wind gusts over Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Aurora, Quezon, the northern portion of Palawan, Mindoro provinces, Romblon, Ilocos Region and the Cordilleras, which are not under any wind signal.

From Wednesday to Thursday morning, the habagat will also dump 100 to 200 mm of rain over Occidental Mindoro, and 50 to 100 mm of rain in Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, northern Palawan, and Cuyo and Calamian islands, the weather agency said.

"Under these conditions, flooding and rain-induced landslides are possible," it warned.

Metro Manila may also experience rains starting Wednesday noon due to the enhanced habagat, according to ABS-CBN resident meteorologist Ariel Rojas.

Betty is likewise expected to bring accumulated rainfall of between 100 to 200 millimeters in La Union and Benguet, and between 50 to 100 millimeters in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and Abra from Wednesday to Thursday afternoon.

PAGASA said Betty could slowly speed up northward over the waters east of Batanes on Wednesday through Thursday morning, although it might still wobble and turn north northeastward or north northwestward on Thursday afternoon or evening.

It is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility on Thursday evening or Friday early morning.

For more updates, visit the ABS-CBN weather center.

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