Source: Pagasa / DOST
MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression “Butchoy” has maintained its strength as it moves over the province of Bulacan, according to latest updates from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Thursday.
Pagasa said that Butchoy earlier made landfall twice–first in Polilio, Quezon at around 5:30 p.m. and then in Infanta by 6:00 p.m.
The weather disturbance still packs maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 75 kph. It was last seen in the vicinity of Baliuag, Bulacan, and is currently moving in a west northwest pattern at a speed of 25 kph.
Rains are still expected in huge parts of Luzon and Visayas as Butchoy intensifies the southwest monsoon or Habagat, pulling cloud bands over the Luzon landmass.
Pagasa still maintains Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No.1 over the areas of Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, Zambales, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, southern part of Aurora, and the northern part of Quezon.
Areas under Signal No. 1 may experience winds around 30 kph to 60 kph. Meanwhile, a yellow rainfall warning has been raised over Bataan, Zambales, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija which meant that strong rains were experienced in the said provinces for over an hour.
Rains may persist in the provinces under the yellow rainfall warning for the next two hours, which means that low-lying areas and those near slopes may experience flooding and landslides.
Moderate to heavy rains with at times intense rains would be felt in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Zambales, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, northern Palawan, and Occidental Mindoro.
Latest reports said that similar weather systems are ongoing over portions of Western Pangasinan, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, and Isabela. On the other hand, light to moderate rains will be experienced over the rest of Luzon, Visayas, Caraga region, and Davao Region.
Butchoy is expected to leave the Luzon landmass on Friday, at a distance of 285 kilometers west southwest of Sinait, Ilocos Sur by night. It will exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Saturday, moving toward the southern part of mainland China.
As flooding and landslides are possible, Pagasa urged the public to monitor updates and announcements from the local disaster risk reduction management offices.