Rains, floods, landslide seen in Luzon, Visayas as LPA forms

Children play in floodwaters after heavy southwest monsoon rains inundated low-lying areas of San Mateo and nearby provinces Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016, in San Mateo township, Rizal province east of Manila, Philippines. The state weather bureau PAGASA has warned of heavy rains, floods, landslides in Luzon and parts of Visayas as a new low pressure area has formed near Luzon. AP Photo

MANILA — Monsoon rains over Luzon and parts of Visayas will continue this week as a low pressure area developed close to Luzon on Thursday.

The state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) spotted the low pressure area about 635 kilometers east of Cagayan province as of  Thursday morning.

PAGASA meteorologist Benison Estareja said the weather system would not likely intensify into a cyclone but would enhance the southwest monsoon prevailing over Luzon and Visayas.

The weather system will bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains and may trigger flashfloods and landslides over Metro Manila and the provinces of Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Pampanga, Rizal, Mindoro, Antique, Capiz, Aklan and Iloilo, PAGASA has warned.

The weather bureau is still on storm watch for an incoming tropical storm internationally named Chaba, which so far is tracking towards Japan.

If it maintains its track, the new storm is expected to graze the country’s northernmost borders beginning Saturday but will be too far to directly affect the country, according to PAGASA.

However, it is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon in the following days and bring light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms over Luzon.

Once within the country’s Philippine area of responsibility, the cyclone will be locally named Igme.

This will be the fifth cyclone to affect the country’s northernmost islands this month.

Batanes was heavily battered by Typhoon Ferdie (international name Meranti) and by Typhoon Helen (Megi) in the past two weeks.

PAGASA warned that another tropical cyclone may develop over western north Pacific in the heels of Chaba.
SFM