Tropical Depression Luis exits Philippines; new LPA spotted

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Depression Luis has weakened as it left the country and is approaching the coast of southeastern China, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said yesterday.

However, PAGASA said the tropical depression and a new low-pressure area would continue to enhance the southwest monsoon.

The low-pressure area was spotted 910 kilometers northeast of Basco, Batanes yesterday morning.

PAGASA said the tropical cyclone is moving west at 10 kilometers per hour, with maximum sustained winds of 40 kph near the center, and gustiness of up to 55 kph.

”It will bring scattered moderate to heavy rains in Zambales, Bataan, Ilocos, the Cordillera Administrative Region, Batanes and the Babuyan islands until this weekend,”  PAGASA said in its 11 a.m. bulletin.

Occasional moderate to heavy rains is expected over Metro Manila, Cavite and Rizal.            

Flooding, landslides

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) warned residents near river channels as well as low-lying and mountainous areas against possible flooding and landslides.

Defense Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad, NDRRMC executive director and Office of Civil Defense administrator, said several areas in Central and Northern Luzon would continue to experience monsoon rains even though Tropical Depression Luis is outside the Philippine area of responsibility.

Heavy monsoon rains last week triggered widespread flooding and landslides. More than 400,000 families or 1.7 million individuals were affected in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, the Cordilleras and Metro Manila. – Jaime Laude