Flood, landslide alerts up in Visayas, Mindanao

MTSAT ENHANCED-IR Satellite Image 2:32 p.m., 03 August 2013

MANILA, Philippines – The state weather bureau warned on Saturday of possible flash floods and landslides in large areas of the Visayas and Mindanao in light of possible heavy rains generated by a low-pressure area east of General Santos City.

As of mid-Saturday, the low pressure area was observed some 380 kilometers east of General Santos City City, embedded in an Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

“These weather systems are expected to bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms in Visayas and Mindanao which may trigger flash floods and landslides,” it said in an advisory.

Pagasa warned residents of the affected areas to take precautionary measures.

In its weather outlook for Sunday, Pagasa said the regions of Eastern Visayas, Caraga, Davao, Northern Mindanao and Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City) would have cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rain showers and thunderstorms.

The Zamboanga peninsula, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Western and Central Visayas and the Bicol region will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms, it said.

Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will be “partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms,” Pagasa said.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest to southeast will prevail over the western section of Luzon and the coastal waters along this area will be moderate to rough, it said.

Light to moderate winds coming from the northeast to southeast will prevail over the rest of Luzon and from the northeast to northwest over the Visayas and Mindanao with slight to moderate seas, Pagasa added.