LPA brings rain, flood alert

MTSAT ENHANCED-IR Satellite Image 4 a.m., 05 August 2013

MANILA, Philippines—Residents of most parts of the Visayas and Mindanao have been advised to continue to be on the alert for landslides and flash floods as a low pressure area (LPA) monitored west of Dumaguete City is expected to bring moderate to heavy rains.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) assured the public, however, that there was little chance the LPA would develop into a tropical cyclone while within the country’s area of responsibility.

As of 4 p.m. Sunday, the LPA was estimated to be 180 kilometers west of Dumaguete City and embedded along the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ).

The LPA is expected to bring moderate to occasionally heavy rainshowers and thunderstorms to Palawan, Western Visayas and Mindanao, particularly the Zamboanga peninsula, the northern and Soccsksargen regions, and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“The LPA may develop into a tropical cyclone once it crosses over Palawan and reaches the West Philippine Sea,” said weather forecaster Buddy Javier.

Pagasa expects Davao Oriental and Compostella Valley to be cloudy with moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms, which may cause flash floods and landslides. It forecasts weather in the provinces to gradually improve by Tuesday.

According to Pagasa’s 5 p.m. forecast, Monday’s weather in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, the Bicol region, the provinces of Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque and Romblon, and the rest of the Visayas and Mindanao is expected to be cloudy with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms. The rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

The weather bureau said moderate to occasionally strong winds blowing from the northeast to the northwest is anticipated to prevail over Southern Luzon and the Visayas and coming from the southwest to the southeast over Mindanao where coastal waters will be moderate to occasionally rough.

Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the northeast with slight to moderate seas.—Jeannette I. Andrade