New flood, landslide alerts up in Palawan, Visayas, Mindanao

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MANILA—A new low-pressure area east of Mindanao could bring about flash floods and landslides in the country’s southern parts, the state weather bureau said on Thursday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration warned residents of Palawan, the Visayas and Mindanao to expect moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms spawned by the weather disturbance.

At mid-Thursday, the low pressure area was located some 110 kilometers east of Hinatuan in Surigao Del Sur embedded in the Intertropical Convergence Zone prevailing over the area, Pagasa said.

“These weather systems are expected to bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms over Palawan, Visayas and Mindanao which may trigger flash floods and landslides,” the weather bureau said.

But forecasters said there was only a slim chance the low pressure area would develop into a cyclone. If it does, it will be given the local name “Labuyo.”

According to Pagasa’s 24-hour weather outlook, Eastern Visayas and the Caraga region (the Agusan and Surigao provinces) in Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rain showers and thunderstorms, which may cause flash floods and landslides.

Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), the Bicol region and the rest of the Visayas and of Mindanao will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms, Pagasa said.

Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms, it said.

Light to moderate winds blowing from the northeast to the southeast will prevail over Northern and Central Luzon, and winds from the northeast to northwest over the rest of the country, Pagasa said.

Coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slightly to moderately rough, it added.