‘Crising’ slows down

CHRONIC FLOODS Rescuers help three families who were trapped in their homes by floods early Tuesday morning in Kabagayan village in Tarragona town in Davao Oriental. SHIONGE ANISLAG/Contributor

MANILA, Philippines—Tropical depression Crising has slowed down as it crosses over the Sulu Sea, the state weather bureau said midday Wednesday.

The weather disturbance was now moving west northwest at 19 kilometers per hour, packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

Only Southern Palawan and Zamboanga del Norte were under Signal No. 1.

Crising was last spotted 220 km northwest of Zamboanga City, and was forecast to be 280 km southwest of Puerto Princesa City by Thursday morning, and 480 km southwest of Puerto Princesa by Thursday evening.

The rainfall amount Crising will bring is from 5 to 15 mm per hour (moderate – heavy) within its 300 km diameter.

Meanwhile, the low pressure area monitored over northwest of Puerto Princesa City has dissipated.

Residents living in low lying and mountainous areas under Signal No. 1 were alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides.

Fishing boats and other small seacraft remained advised not to venture out into the Northern, Eastern and Southern seaboards of Luzon, the Central and Eastern seaboards of Visayas and Eastern seaboard of Mindanao.