MANILA, Philippines—Even as they reel from the aftermath of Storm Sendong, residents of Mindanao and the Visayas should brace themselves for widespread rain that could trigger flash floods and landslides on Christmas Day, weather forecasters warned Wednesday.
Luzon would also experience monsoon rains that could spawn floods and landslides in the Bicol Region on or before Christmas, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.
There is no cyclone on the horizon in the next four days, forecaster said.
As the tail-end of the cold front moves southward, the Visayas and Mindanao would experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms, said Robert Sawi, chief of Pagasa’s weather division.
The rainshowers and thunderstorms would become widespread over the eastern section, which might cause floods and landslides in eastern Mindanao on December 25, he said.
“Our countrymen there should prepare because flashfloods might occur during the weekend,’’ he said during a press conference.
Sendong (international codename: Washi) cut a wide swath of death and destruction in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, prompting President Aquino to declare a national state of calamity.
On the other hand, a surge in the southeast monsoon would bring light rain over the western and eastern sections of Luzon from December 21 to 26, Sawi said.
This would become frequent over the Bicol Region, and could cause floods and mountain slopes to collapse on December 24 and 25, he said.
“The northeast monsoon would dominate and affect most parts of Luzon, especially the eastern side,’’ he said.
The weather bureau cautioned fishermen on the coasts of the Visayas and Mindanao against setting out to sea because of big waves generated by strong northeasterly winds.
The northeast monsoon now sweeping the main island of Luzon with cold and dry air from Siberia and the tail-end of the cold front would be the dominant weather systems affecting most of the country in the next four days.