LPA now a cyclone; Signal No. 1 up in 5 provinces

MANILA, Philippines — The low pressure area that entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday night intensified into tropical depression "Caloy" Friday morning.

In an advisory, state weather bureau PAGASA placed Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Sur and Compostela Valley under public storm warning signal 1.

PAGASA weather forecaster Manny Mendoza said in a state news report that Caloy will likely make landfall in Davao Oriental within the next 24 hours.

Caloy, the third tropical cyclone to enter the country this year, was packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center.

Mendoza also said that the new weather system may cause twigs and branches of trees to be broken, some banana plants to be uprooted, and rice crops to suffer significant damage.

Caloy may also blow off roofs of nipa and cogon houses in affected areas.

The "slow-moving" Caloy was spotted 360 kms east of Davao City as of 5 a.m. on Friday, and forecast to move 180 km west of the city by Monday morning, Mendoza said.

Fishing boats and other small watercraft are advised not to venture out into the Northern seaboard of northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon due to the Northeast Monsoon.