‘Karding’ accelerates, now near Basco, Batanes – Pagasa

Tropical Storm Karding accelerated overnight as it moved to the northwest section of the country at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour (kph), the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Saturday.

In its 4 a.m. bulletin, Pagasa said Karding was last spotted at 990 km east northeast of Basco, Batanes, with maximum sustained winds of 75 kph near the center and gustiness of 90 kph.

Meanwhile, Pagasa also spotted a tropical depression 1040 km west of extreme northern Luzon. Currently, it has maximum sustained winds of 55 kph and gustiness up to 75 kph.

The tropical depression, Pagasa said, is moving in the north northeast direction with a speed of 15 kph.

Pagasa said Metro Manila, Batanes, the Babuyan Group of Islands, Ilocos Region, the Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Mimaropa will be experiencing rain caused by the southwest monsoon that was enhanced by Karding and the tropical depression.

Cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms will be felt in the Bicol Region, Western and Eastern Visayas and the rest of Cagayan Valley Region.

Mindanao and the rest of Visayas will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains or thunderstorms caused by the same weather disturbance.

Pagasa warns the public to brace for possible flooding and landslides triggered by heavy rain.  /muf