Tino (international name: Kalmaegi) strengthened into a severe tropical storm on Sunday afternoon, the state weather bureau said.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Tino reached severe tropical storm status by 2 p.m.
Pagasa classifies a tropical cyclone as a severe tropical storm when its maximum sustained winds reach 87 to 117 kilometers per hour or 48 to 63 knots. Tino was last located 825 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas, packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 115 kph, moving west-northwest at 30 kph.
Meanwhile, Pagasa said another low-pressure area being monitored outside the Philippine area of responsibility has an ‘unlikely’ chance of developing into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours.