Typhoon Betty weakens but flash floods, landslides may still occur due to habagat

MANILA, Philippines  — Typhoon Betty has slightly weakened as it moves over the Philippine sea east of northern Luzon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Sunday.

Pagasa said in its 5 p.m. weather bulletin that flash floods and landslides will likely occur across the country, especially over the western portions of Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central, and Southern Luzon due to southwest monsoon or “habagat,” starting on Monday.

“The enhanced southwest monsoon may occasionally bring gusts reaching strong breeze to near gale strength, beginning tonight or tomorrow morning over most of Visayas, the eastern portion of Central Luzon, the eastern and southern portion of Southern Luzon, and the northern portion of Mindanao. The western portion of Luzon may also experience similar conditions beginning on Tuesday (May 31) or Wednesday (June 1),” Pagasa said.

Betty was last spotted 630 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, with maximum sustained winds of 165 kilometers per hour (kph) with gustiness of up to 205 kph.

Pagasa said it would move west-northwestward or northwestward for the next 38 hours while gradually decelerating and will likely become slow-moving to almost stationary by Tuesday.

It added that Betty would move northward by mid-Wednesday towards the sea east of Taiwan.

Meanwhile, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 remains hoisted over 12 Northern Luzon provinces. These are Batanes; Cagayan including Babuyan Islands; Isabela; Apayao; Ilocos Norte; northern and central portions of Abra; Kalinga; central and east parts of Mountain Province; central and east parts of Ifugao; north and eastern portions of Aurora; Quirino; and northeastern portions of Nueva Vizcaya.

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