LPA drenches many parts of Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — A low-pressure area dumped rains yesterday in many parts of the country, including Metro Manila.

As of 3 p.m. yesterday, the low-pressure area was spotted 75 kilometers north-northwest of Coron, Palawan, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

It was forecast to intensify into a tropical depression within the next 12 hours and will be locally named Leon.

PAGASA weather forecaster Ariel Rojas said tropical cyclone wind signals might be raised over parts of Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) region once the low-pressure area develops into a cyclone.

Rojas said the brewing cyclone was expected to boost monsoon rains and bring rough seas over the western section of the country.

He added that it was forecast to gain strength while over the sea and exit the Philippine area of responsibility this afternoon.

Rojas warned residents of Mimaropa, particularly Palawan, of possible flash floods and landslides.

PAGASA said the low-pressure area and the southwest monsoon would continue to bring scattered rains and thunderstorms over Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, Bicol Region, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, the Visayas and Mindanao as well as the provinces of Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya and Isabela today.

The rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains due to thunderstorms.