PAGASA: Beware of fake weather report

CEBU, Philippines — The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)-Visayas has warned people not to believe in fake news amidst reports on social media that there will be a strong typhoon coming in Cebu within the week.

Jhomer Eclarino, weather specialist of PAGASA-Visayas Regional Services Division, said that either Wednesday evening or Thursday morning, a low pressure area (LPA) or tropical depression (TD) may enter into the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

If indeed there will be an LPA or TD, this will still bring rains in Cebu and all are still advised to prepare especially in low lying areas as rains may still bring flash floods.

But Eclarino said even if the LPA may develop into TD, this will not be a level to that of Odette contrary to some netizens spreading on Facebook.

He urged everyone to have themselves updated and listen only to legitimate weather forecasting bureau or check their Facebook page DOST Pagasa.

“As of now, nihinay na man ang LPA which is still outside PAR. Inig sulod sa weather disturbance sa Philippines, kung dili siya LPA pwede siyang mahimong tropical depression nga nagdala gihapon siya og uwan. Pero ang kakusgon sa iyang hangin dili pud parehas atong Odette,” said Eclarino.

He added that on Friday up to Sunday, the Visayas area including Cebu may still experience cloudy skies and rain showers.

PAGASA said the LPA located 1,620 kilometers east of southeastern Mindanao is expected to move erratically and may meander near or around its present position in the next 24 hours as “it remains highly disorganized.”

A slight improvement in environmental conditions will allow the weather disturbance to reorganize and redevelop into a tropical depression. Once it does, it will be called Kabayan.

According to PAGASA, the weather system may enter the PAR region late Wednesday or early Thursday.

It will head west until Friday while slowly intensifying within the country’s monitoring area.

“Regardless of its development trend, the interaction between this disturbance and a possible shear line related to the forecast surge of the northeast Monsoon may result in heavy rainfall over the eastern portion of Mindanao beginning on Friday and over Bicol region and most of Visayas (especially the eastern portion) beginning on Saturday,” PAGASA said.

The weather bureau issued Tuesday gale warnings for coastal waters due to risky sea conditions caused by the surge of the northeast monsoon. —  (FREEMAN)