'Zoraida' enters Phl; storm signals up in 7 areas

MANILA, Philippines - Some areas have been placed under a public storm warning signal after a new tropical cyclone entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility just days after Super Typhoon Yolanda slammed into the country and devastated several provinces.

In a bulletin issued at 5 a.m. today, state weather bureau PAGASA said tropical depression "Zoraida" was last observed at 950 kilometers southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur and was just bearing maximum winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center.

Zoraida is forecast to move northwest at 28 kph and to be at 400 kilometers southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur by Tuesday morning.

By Wednesday morning, the tropical cyclone is expected to be in the vicinity of Tagbilaran City and to be at 170 kilometers west of Coron, Palawan by Thursday morning.

Public storm warning signal no. 1 has been hoisted over Dinagat Island, Siargao Island, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Davao Oriental.

PAGASA said moderate to heavy (5 to 15 millimeters per hour) within the 300-kilometer diameter of the tropical depression.

The agency said sea travel is risky over the northern seaboard of northern Luzon and eastern seaboard of northern and central Luzon.

Mindanao and eastern Visayas will be cloudy with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms. The rest of Visayas will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains or thunderstorms. Metro manila and the rest of Luzon will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over Luzon and coming from the northeast to north over Mindanao. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be with moderate to rough.