Heavy rains seen over Tacloban, other Yolanda-hit areas

MANILA, Philippines - Areas hardest hit by  November's Supertyphoon Yolanda will again be heavily affected from the first weather disturbance of the year, Pennsylvania-based weather agency Accuweather said.

In a post late Monday, AccuWeather meteorologist Eric Leister said that heavy rainfall will pour over  Tacloban and neighboring towns from the prevailing  tropical low pressure.

"Although the worst of the flooding as been south of areas hit hardest by former Super Typhoon Haiyan, locally heavy rainfall is expected over the hardest hit areas, including Tacloban City during the next several days," Leister said.

The low pressure area is currently stationary over Visayas and Mindanao at least until Wednesday, the weatherman said.

Also read: Rains expected in parts of Phl until weekend - PAGASA

"(It) could produce widespread rainfall for much of the week," Leister added.

The weather event causing landslides and deadly flooding has so far claimed lives of at least 20 as of Tuesday morning and affected over 130,000.

"Surigao City, in northern Mindanao, has received more than 500 mm (20 inches) of rain since the weekend, and more heavy rainfall is expected through the middle of the week," he said.

State weather bureau PAGASA said in a Monday morning advisory that the low pressure area last located at 60 kilometers north of Butuan City on Tuesday morning.