Auring to bring heavy rains to eastern provinces

MANILA, Philippines — Provinces in the eastern portion of the country, particularly northeastern Mindanao’s Pacific seaboard, should prepare for potential flooding from heavy rains, caused by the combined effects of the approaching cyclone Auring and the tail end of a frontal system, the weather service said on Wednesday.

Auring, the first tropical depression of the year, entered the Philippine area of responsibility on Wednesday morning and could make landfall in the Caraga region this weekend, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

It may strengthen into a tropical storm before hitting land between Saturday night and Sunday morning, forecasters said.

As of 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Auring was about 700 kilometers east-southeast of Hinatuan town in Surigao del Sur province. Packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 70 kph, it was moving generally west-northwestward at 15 kph.

The public should watch out for any changes in Auring’s strength or direction in the next few days, said Esperanza Cayanan, chief of Pagasa’s weather services division.

No parts of the country were affected by Auring on Wednesday, but forecasters said some areas in the Visayas, Bicol, Caraga, Northern Mindanao, Davao region and the provinces of Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, Cotabato and Lanao del Sur should prepare for heavy rains and strong gusts as it crossed the country during the weekend.

‘Basyang’ path

In a press briefing on Wednesday morning, Pagasa weather specialist Joey Figuracion said that based on historical records, Auring might follow the track of Tropical Storm “Basyang” (international name: Sanba), which also made landfall in northeastern Mindanao and soaked Visayas and Mindanao in February 2018.

Pagasa forecasts that after making landfall, Auring will be in the vicinity of Jabonga town in Agusan del Norte province by Sunday morning and blow toward Maasin town in Iloilo province the following day.

Figuracion said Auring might lose strength and revert to tropical depression after hitting land.

Pagasa also expected the northeast monsoon to bring light rains to Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon.