LPA off Cagayan becomes Tropical Depression Dodong

MANILA, Philippines — The low pressure area off the waters of Cagayan province developed into a tropical depression Tuesday afternoon, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

In a Facebook post, PAGASA said the LPA located east of Aparri, Cagayan has intensified into a tropical depression at 2 p.m. It was assigned the name “Dodong”—the fourth tropical cyclone this year.

The state weather bureau is yet to give other details about “Dodong” as of posting. PAGASA will issue a severe weather bulletin at 5 p.m. today. 

But in a weather report early Tuesday morning, weather specialist Ezra Bulquerin said the southwest monsoon or habagat would bring rains over the western sections of Central Luzon and Visayas.

Brewing storms are expected to ease the declining water elevation at Angat Dam, which was down to 158.77 meters early Monday morning. This is 0.91 meters below the reservoir’s critical level of 160 meters.

Angat Dam, the primary water source of Metro Manila, could breach its lowest water level recorded at 157.57 meters by the end of the week if insufficient rainfall is received in the watershed. — Gaea Katreena Cabico