‘Quinta’ now just a tropical depression

MTSAT ENHANCED-IR Satellite Image 6:00am., 26 December 2012

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical cyclone “Quinta” (international name: Wukong) has weakened into a tropical depression as it continued to hover Western Visayas, the state weather bureau said midday Wednesday.

Signal No. 1, or winds with 45- 60 kilometers per hour, was up in Mindoro Provinces, Romblon, Masbate, Burias Island, Northern Palawan including the Calamian Group of Islands, Marinduque, Aklan, Capiz, Antique, Iloilo, Negros Provinces, Cebu and Guimaras, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

Residents in these areas were alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides.

Meanwhile, public storm signals in other areas were already lowered.

As of 10 a.m., Quinta was seen over the vicinity of Roxas City, Capiz, and packed maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour, and was forecast to move faster at 24 kph westward.

It will bring moderate to heavy rains within its 350 km diameter.

The tropical depression was also seen to exit by Thursday evening. It was forecast to be 270 km west of Coron, Palawan Thursday morning and outside the Philippine territory in the evening.

By Friday morning, it is expected to be at 820 km west of Coron, Palawan, Pagasa said.

Fishing boats and other small seacraft were still advised not to venture out into the seaboards of Luzon and Visayas and over the northern seaboard of Mindanao.

Originally posted at 06:15 am  | Wednesday, December 26, 2012