PAGASA: Brace for more rains in coming days

MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos should brace for more rains in the coming days as the low-pressure area east of Luzon was forecast to intensify into a tropical depression within the next 36 hours, the state weather bureau said yesterday.

As of 3 p.m. yesterday, the low-pressure area was spotted at 455 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

It will be locally named Enteng once it develops into a tropical depression.

PAGASA weather specialist Ariel Rojas said the brewing cyclone is likely to enhance the southwest monsoon, which will bring rains to many parts of Luzon until Monday.

The weather disturbance was forecast to move north. It was not expected to hit Philippine landmass, Rojas said.

Monsoon rains will persist over Metro Manila, Bataan, Zambales, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) today.

The trough or extension of the low-pressure area will bring rains over Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, the rest of Central Luzon, the Bicol region, the rest of Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, BARMM and Northern Mindanao.

The rest of Luzon and Mindanao will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains due to the southwest monsoon and localized thunderstorms.

PAGASA warned residents of Luzon of possible flooding and landslides during heavy and prolonged rainfall.