Southwest monsoon still affecting Luzon, Western Visayas; LPA forms outside PAR

Zambales, Bataan, and Occidental Mindoro are still expected to have moderate to heavy rain due to the southwest monsoon until Friday afternoon, August 14

MANILA, Philippines – The southwest monsoon or habagat remains strong and will continue to affect Luzon and Western Visayas, the weather bureau said on Thursday afternoon, August 13.

For the next 24 hours or until Friday afternoon, August 14, the provinces of Zambales, Bataan, and Occidental Mindoro are still expected to have moderate to heavy rain (50-100 millimeters).

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also said scattered rain and thunderstorms will persist in the rest of Central Luzon, the rest of Mimaropa, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, the Ilocos Region, the Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Camarines Norte, Aklan, Antique, and Capiz. The rest of Bicol may see isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

“Ating abiso sa ating mga kababayan…patuloy na maging alerto sa mga banta ho ng pagbaha, especially sa mga low-lying areas at sa mga vulnerable areas, lalo na doon sa mga lugar kung saan ay saturated na po ang lupa dahil sa halos tuloy-tuloy na mga pag-ulan,” said PAGASA Weather Specialist Loriedin de la Cruz-Galicia in a briefing on Thursday afternoon.

(We advise our fellow Filipinos to remain on alert amid threats of flooding, especially those in low-lying areas and vulnerable areas, particularly places where the soil may already be saturated because of virtually nonstop rain.)

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Thursday morning that the southwest monsoon, Tropical Depression Luis, and Tropical Storm Maymay (Kujira) combined have left at least 21 people dead, 14 injured, and two missing.

These weather systems in August have affected at least 3.65 million people or 1.06 million families across 10 regions, according to the NDRRMC.

So far, the estimated cost of damage to infrastructure is at P2.65 billion, while the estimated cost of damage to agriculture is at P230 million.

Aside from the southwest monsoon, PAGASA is also monitoring a low pressure area (LPA) that formed outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday.

The LPA was located 1,765 kilometers east of extreme Northern Luzon at 3 pm.

It has a high chance of developing into a tropical depression within 24 hours, but Galicia said it is currently moving eastward or away from PAR.

The weather bureau expects up to four tropical cyclones to develop within or enter PAR in August. There have already been two during the month — Luis and Maymay. – Rappler.com