Malabon residents wade through flood waters at Letre road in Malabon. INQUIRER / Grig C. Montegrande
Heavy rains and thunderstorms will continue to pour over Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon until the weekends as “Gorio” intensified from tropical storm to severe tropical storm, state weather agency said on Thursday.
In its 5:00 p.m. weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Gorio will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat that will bring occasional heavy rains in Luzon and parts of Western Visayas.
Signal No. 1 has been raised over Batanes.
“Monsoon rains will continue to prevail or will continue to be experienced in western section of Luzon including Metro Manila and also light to moderate rains over Luzon and then kasama po diyan ang Kabisayaan (including parts of Visayas),” said Loriedin de la Cruz, Pagasa weather forecaster.
De la Cruz also warned that flash floods and landslides may occur in the affected areas.
De la Cruz said that coastal waters in western parts of Luzon will be moderate to rough, reaching 1.25 to 4 meters in height, and may be dangerous to small sea vessels.
If Gorio further intensifies, it may strengthen southwest monsoon and bring stronger but intermittent rains to affected areas, de la Cruz explained.
The forecaster also said that Gorio is expected to go out of the Philippine area of responsibility on Monday morning.
Aside from Gorio, another weather disturbance that may develop into low pressure area has been spotted west of Luzon. Pagasa is constantly monitoring its movement, de la Cruz added. JPV