Rains seen in Bicol, Visayas, Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines — Rainy weather should be expected in parts of the Bicol Region, the Visayas and Mindanao on the last day of August, reported the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Rainfall between 50 and 100 millimeters may drench the provinces of Catanduanes, Albay, Masbate and Sorsogon in Bicol; Antique, Iloilo, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Samar, Northern Samar and Eastern Samar in the Visayas and the Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte in Mindanao until today, based on PAGASA’s 24-hour rainfall forecast issued yesterday.

The state weather bureau warned of “localized flooding mainly in areas that are urbanized, low-lying or near rivers (and) landslide in highly susceptible areas.”

The rainy weather will be caused by the southwest monsoon and the trough or extension of a low-pressure area (LPA) last located at 520 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar at 2 p.m. yesterday.

PAGASA noted the LPA was “unlikely” to become a tropical cyclone in the next 24 hours.

In a separate 24-hour public weather forecast, PAGASA said the trough of the LPA would bring “cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms in the regions of Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Caraga and Davao, while the southwest monsoon would bring similar weather conditions in MIMAROPA and the rest of the Visayas and Mindanao.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will experience “partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms” because of localized thunderstorms.

Floods in Quezon City

Yesterday, PAGASA reported thunderstorms lashed Metro Manila with “intense to torrential rainshowers with lightning and strong winds” in the afternoon.

The heavy downpour flooded several roads in Quezon City, bringing traffic to a standstill, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said.

A portion of Commonwealth Avenue near the University of the Philippines (UP) Gym eastbound and Quezon Avenue tunnel had up to 37 inches of flood.

Up to 19 inches of floodwater inundated parts of Commonwealth Avenue near Winston, UP Technohub and Bitoon, Katipunan Avenue near Ateneo de Manila University, Aurora Boulevard and C. P. Garcia, Araneta Avenue near Maria Clara Street, EDSA near Mother Ignacia Street and Elliptical Road near Kalayaan Avenue, which became off limits to vehicles because of deep flooding, the MMDA reported.

Meanwhile, other portions of EDSA near Dario Bridge, Quezon Avenue, North Avenue, Balintawak, Muñoz, West Avenue and Kamuning, Commonwealth Avenue and Quezon Avenue were inundated with up to nine inches of floodwater. Vehicles continued traversing the said roads, but slowed down because of the floods.