‘Egay’ continues to move slowly northward

TROPICAL storm Egay (Linfa) continued to move slowly northward Monday afternoon, the state weather bureau said.

The storm packed maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 90 kph. It moved north at 9 kph, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

Signal No. 1 was raised over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and Abra, Batanes, Calayan and Babuyan Group of Islands, northwest of Cagayan and Apayao.

Pagasa warned residents in areas under Signal No. 1 of flashfloods and landslides.

Egay was last observed 200 kilometers northwest of Laoag City in Ilocos Norte and is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Thursday evening.

It is also forecast to dissipate or weaken into a low-pressure area by Wednesday.

The storm shut down schools and offices in Metro Manila and nearby provinces due to floods and heavy rains.

Moderate to heavy rains are expected within the 400-kilometer diameter of the storm. The southwest monsoon will also dump more rains over the western section of northern Luzon, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Mimaropa and Calabarzon.

The residents of these areas should be ready for possible flashfloods and landslides, Pagasa said.

Fishermen and small vessels were warned to avoid the seaboards of Luzon.