‘Helen’ seen to cause huge waves in Talisay anew

HUGE waves that battered several houses in Talisay City may happen anew due to the presence of an enhanced southwest monsoon caused by newly-developed tropical depression “Helen.”

“The one experienced in Talisay could possibly recur because of the southwest monsoon especially since strong winds are expected in the month of August,” said Pagasa Mactan weather analyst Boy Artiaga said.,

Cebu’s eastern seaboard will mostly be affected compared to the west, Artiaga said.

Helen has an estimated initial strength of 55 kilometers per hour but its velocity will intensify in the coming days, he added.

Sailors and fishermen are warned of rough seas. “This is just like the previous typhoon where Central Visayas was affected with several sea vessel trip cancellation due to rough seas,” Artiaga said.

Settlers in coastal and landslide prone areas were advised to prepare for evacuation as rough seas similar to that experienced during the entry of typhoon Gener in the region is expected to occur.

“They (residents near sea wall) must be alert for the possibility of big waves striking their houses while the weather disturbance has not hit the lands. They should be warned while they have time to prepare,” Artiaga added.

Helen’s center is currently spotted in Kasiguran, Aurora with 10-20 mm per hour rain volume concentrated at a 350 km diameter.

Moderate to heavy rains is expected in Central Visayas in the next two to three days.

Elsewhere Pagasa said an active low pressure area (ALPA) will affect the Bicol, Visayas, and Mindanao regions by today or tomorrow.

Pagasa forecaster Jori Loiz said the ALPA was estimated at 860 km east of northern Luzon at 8 a.m yesterday. At 2 a.m., it was at 900 km east of Central Luzon.

The weather system is expected to bring scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms over the Bicol, Visayas and Mindanao regions.

The rest of the country, including Metro Manila, will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Loiz told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that the ALPA would slightly enhance the already weakened habagat (southwest monsoon), which would bring isolated rain showers over some areas in Luzon.

The weather bureau, in its 11 a.m. bulletin, said the ALPA might bring widespread moderate to heavy rains (5 to 15 mm per hour) over the provinces of Samar, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Surigao, and Davao Oriental.

It also warned of possible flashfloods and landslides.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest will prevail over extreme Northern Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to rough.

In Manila Bay, winds will be light to moderate coming from the southwest to west with slight to moderate seas. Correspondent Jessa Chrisna Marie J. Agua with an Inquirer report