Tropical Depression 'Luis' seen to enhance southwest monsoon

MANILA, Philippines — A low-pressure area northwest of extreme Northern Luzon has entered the Philippine area of responsibility and has developed into a tropical depression, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said yesterday.

As of 3 p.m. yesterday, the center of Tropical Depression Luis was estimated at 350 kilometers north-northwest of Basco, Batanes based on available data.

PAGASA said Luis, with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph, is moving east-northeast at 15 kph. It is not expected to directly affect any part of the country.

The PAGASA bulletin noted that Luis may enhance the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat, which, yesterday afternoon, was said to be affecting the western sections of Northern and Central Luzon.

“This will bring scattered moderate to heavy rains in La Union, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Zambales, Bataan, Batanes, Babuyan Islands and the Cordillera Administrative Region starting today,” PAGASA said.

Residents in these areas, especially those living near river channels, in low-lying areas and in mountainous areas, are advised to take appropiate actions against possible flooding and landslides. They should coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and continue monitoring for updates.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms.

PAGASA also warned that sea travel is risky in the northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon.

Luis is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility Sunday morning.

As this developed, another low-pressure area outside the Philippine area of responsibility was also monitored by PAGASA. It was estimated at 1,465 kilometers east of extreme Nothern Luzon.

Due to bad weather conditions, several international flights were canceled yesterday.

As 1 p.m. yesterday, the Manila International Airport’s Media Affairs Division said the canceled flights were Cebu Pacific Air’s 5J5038/5039 Manila-Nagoya-Manila, 5J828/827 Manila-Osaka-Manila and 5J188/187 Manila-Incheon-Manila; and Philippine Airlines’ PR418/419 Manila-Busan-Manila. – With Rudy Santos