‘Emong’ to intensify but still quite far to affect PH

Tropical Depression “Emong” may gain strength in the next 24 to 48 hours although it is still quite far to have any direct effect on the country, the weather bureau said on Monday.

As of 4 p.m. Monday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) tracked Emong at 250 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes province, with maximum sustained winds of 55 km per hour near the center, moving northwest at 9 kph.

Rainfall within the 300-km diameter of the tropical depression is expected to be moderate to heavy at five to 15 millimeters per hour.

Pagasa forecaster Glaiza Escullar placed Emong at 230 km northeast of Virac Tuesday morning and 330 km east of Aparri, Cagayan province, Wednesday morning. By Thursday, it is forecast to be at 400 km northeast of Basco, Batanes province.

The weather agency warned residents in Bicol, Mimaropa (Mindoro provinces, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) and the Visayas against flash floods and landslides caused by moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms.

It reminded the local disaster coordinating councils in the areas to take appropriate action.

While moderate to occasionally heavy rains are to be expected over Bicol, Southern Tagalog and the Visayas, Metro Manila, and provinces in Caraga, Northern Mindanao and the Zamboanga Peninsula, as well as the rest of Luzon, will be cloudy with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms, according to Pagasa’s 5 p.m. bulletin.

The rest of Mindanao is expected to have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest to the west will prevail over Luzon and the Visayas and coming from the southwest over Mindanao. Coastal waters in the entire archipelago are anticipated to be moderate to rough.