Tropical depression ‘Mina’ slows down, hits Bicol region

MANILA, Philippines—Tropical depression “Mina” has slowed down as it changed course and was now moving northwestward, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Tuesday.

In its latest weather forecast, Pagasa said that as of 4 a.m. Tuesday, Mina was seen 320 km East Northeast of Virac, Catanduanes and has maintained its strength with maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center. Mina was moving seven kilometers per hour northwestward, Pagasa said.
No storm signal warning was raised.

However, Pagasa said that Mina will enhance the southwest monsoon and will bring scattered to widespread rains over parts of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms which will become cloudy with widespread rains over Bicol Region. The rest of the country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms, the state-run weather bureau said.

Estimated rainfall amount was likewise pegged at 10 to 20 millimiters per hour within the 300 kilometer diameter of Mina, Pagasa said.

“Moderate to strong winds blowing from the Northeast to Northwest will prevail over Northern and Central Luzon and coming from the Southwest over most parts of the country. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be moderate to rough,” Pagasa added.