REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MANILA --Typhoon Haima has made landfall in the northern Philippines as a Category 4, making it the second typhoon of that intensity to strike the area in just a few days time. Weather.com reported, PAGASA - the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration - said that the center of Haima, known as "Lawin" in the Philippines, came ashore around 11:00 p.m. local time Wednesday near Baguio Point in the Cagayan Province.

Maximum sustained winds were 140 mph at that time, according to an advisory issued by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. After topping out at Category 5 intensity late Tuesday-early Wednesday, Haima weakened some just before making landfall on northern Luzon Island. It remains a powerful and destructive typhoon, however.

For mitigation, the Philippines has ordered the evacuation of northern coastal, low-lying and mountainous areas on Wednesday. Typhoon Haima has been labelled a category 5 storm on a scale of 1 to 5 by Tropical Storm Risk. It could cause flooding, landslides and storm surges of up to five meters (16.5 ft), the weather bureau said.

Some flights and classes have been suspended and the Philippine Coast Guard has banned sea travel and fishing. The weather bureau raised storm warning signals for the northern and eastern parts of main island of Luzon, home to industrial and export centers. "The typhoon is very strong and destructive because of its large diameter," said Rene Paciente, assistant weather services chief at the weather bureau.

Haima is the 12th typhoon to hit the Philippines this year. An average of 20 typhoons hit the Southeast Asian nation every year. Super Typhoon Haiyan struck the central Philippines in 2013, killing at least 6,000 people.

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