‘Egay,’ ‘Falcon’ take turns enhancing ‘habagat’

A family walks on a flooded street. FILE PHOTO

The heavy rain being experienced in most parts of the country is still because of Tropical Storm “Egay” (international name: Linfa), which left the Philippine area of responsibility on Tuesday, the state weather bureau said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in a televised press briefing on Wednesday that Egay continues to enhance the southwest monsoon or “habagat,” which is the reason for the light to moderate rains over the western section of Luzon.

Typhoon “Falcon” (international name: Chon-ham) meanwhile, maintained its strength as it continued to move in a west northwest direction. It is also expected to enhance habagat by Wednesday evening.

READ: ‘Falcon’ to bring about monsoon rains

Falcon will bring heavy to intense rains within its 300 kilometer diameter, Pagasa said. It was last spotted 1,250 kilometers east of Calayan in Cagayan.

The typhoon packed maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 1,250 kph.

It continued to move with a speed of 20 kph west northwest.

Fisherfolk are advised to avoid the seaboards of Luzon.

The following are the forecast positions of Falcon:

• 24 hour (Thursday morning): 810 km East Northeast of Itbayat, Batanes
• 48 hour (Friday morning): Outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) or at 585 km North Northeast of Itbayat, Batanes
• 72 hour (Saturday morning): 740 km North Northwest of Itbayat, Batanes (Outside PAR).

Pagasa said that thunderstorm associated with heavy rain may persist in Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, Bataan, Batangas, Quezon and Laguna in the next two hours.

Local governments have also suspended classes on Wednesday because of the heavy rains. IDL

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