‘Flash floods, landslides possible due to LPA’

MANILA, Philippines — The state weather bureau continued to warn yesterday residents in the eastern section of the country against flash floods and landslides due to rains triggered by the low-pressure area and a tail-end of a cold front.

As of 3 p.m. yesterday, the low-pressure area was spotted at 215 kilometers south southeast of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the low-pressure area was unlikely to develop into a tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours.

However, the trough of the weather disturbance will bring cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms over  Zamboanga peninsula and Palawan.

“Residents in these areas must take precautionary measures against possible flash floods and landslides and coordinate with their respective local disaster risk reduction and management offices,” PAGASA said.

Meanwhile, scattered rains will fall over Bicol region, Eastern Visayas and the province of Quezon due to the tail-end of a cold front.

The northeast monsoon, PAGASA said, will bring isolated light rains over Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region and Ilocos region.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country will still experience warm weather with possible isolated rains due to localized thunderstorms.

PAGASA earlier said the northeasterly winds – cold air from China and Siberia – are likely to end in the first week of March and will be succeeded by the easterlies or warm air from the Pacific Ocean.

The prevailing weak La Niña condition is also expected to bring slightly warmer than normal temperatures during the dry or summer season, according to PAGASA.