Pagasa: Up to 14 more storms expected to enter PH this year

FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Up to 14 more storms are expected to enter the Philippines this year, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Thursday.

Pagasa administrator Vicente Malano said that an average of 20 storms enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) every year. So far, four tropical cyclones have entered the country this year.

He said these are expected towards the end of the year.

“Inaasahan natin na sa 11 to 14 na bagyo pa na pwedeng pumasok sa ating PAR at ang karaniwang bagyo na tumatama sa ating kalupaan ay towards the end of the year,” he said in a public briefing.

(We are expecting 11 to 14 more storms to enter the PAR and these usually strike towards the end of the year.)

Strong storms usually occur during the last quarter of the year, he added.

Malano said two storms are expected to enter the Philippines next week.

Some areas in the Philippines have been experiencing bad weather in the past days due to low pressure areas and intertropical convergence zone.

He said this was brought about by the ongoing La Niña, which will last until the end of the year.

“Dito La Niña episode, ay naapektuhan ng ating bansa, lalo na sa lugar ng Eastern Visayas, Central Philippines, Mindanao at Eastern Luzon,” he said.

/MUF