Pagasa issues flashflood alert

MANILA, Philippines - The weather bureau yesterday warned residents in Northern Luzon of heavy rains as the active low-pressure area off Catanduanes intensified into tropical depression “Dindo.”

Dindo, the fourth weather disturbance to affect the country this year, was spotted at 670 kilometers east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes as of 4 p.m. yesterday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

It packed winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) and was moving west northwest at 19 kph.

No storm warning signals, however, have been raised as of 5 p.m. yesterday.

Like “Ambo” and “Butchoy,” the new weather disturbance is not expected to make landfall.

PAGASA said the weather disturbance will enhance the southwest monsoon and is expected to dump 10 to 15 millimeters per hour (heavy) rain within its 400-km radius.

“It will enhance the southwest monsoon and bring frequent rains over Western Visayas, Southern Luzon, Bicol and Palawan,” PAGASA administrator Nathaniel Servando said.

The weather bureau warned fishermen and operators of other small seacraft not to venture out to the eastern seaboards of Luzon and the Visayas due to big waves generated by the southwest monsoon and the tropical depression.

Dindo is predicted to be at 520 km east of Casiguran, Aurora this afternoon; 320 km east of Aparri, Cagayan or 320 km southeast of Basco, Batanes by tomorrow afternoon; and 80 km north northeast of Basco by Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, PAGASA said the southwest monsoon would continue to bring occasional rains over the Visayas and Mindanao, becoming frequent over the western sections.

Southern Luzon, on the other hand, will have cloudy skies with scattered to widespread rainshowers and thunderstorms, which may trigger flashfloods and landslides.

“Residents living in low-lying areas and along mountain slopes are advised to be on alert for possible occurrence of flashfloods and landslides,” PAGASA said in its advisory.

The rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms, it said.

PAGASA said coastal waters throughout the archipelago would be moderate to rough.