Signal No. 1 up over 18 areas in Visayas, Mindanao

The low-pressure area (LPA) east of Mindanao has developed into tropical depression “Agaton” as it inched closer to Caraga Region on Monday afternoon.

At around 4 p.m. Monday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) estimated the location of Agaton at 175 kilometers eastnortheast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, with maximum winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of

up to 60 kph. It is moving west at 19 kph. Should it maintain its current track, Agaton could make landfall over Caraga Region by Monday evening or Tuesday morning.

Tropical cyclone warning signal No. 1 has been raised over Southern Leyte, Surigao del Norte, Siargao Island, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Island, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, North Cotabato, Compostela Valley, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Camiguin, and Bukidnon.

PAGASA warned of moderate to heavy rains over Bicol Region, Visayas and Mindanao particularly in Eastern Visayas, Caraga, and Davao.

“Residents in these areas must undertake precautionary measures against possible flooding and landslides and coordinate with their respective local disaster risk reduction and management council,” it advised.

Likewise, it said sea travel is risky over areas under signal No. 1, as well as over the seaboards of Northern Luzon and Southern Luzon, eastern seaboard of Central Luzon, and eastern and western seaboard of Visayas due to the surge of northeast monsoon or amihan.

By Tuesday afternoon, PAGASA expects Agaton to be at 65 km east of Dipolog City in Zamboanga del Norte, and by Wednesday afternoon at 80 km southeast of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan.

By Wednesday afternoon, PAGASA said the cyclone will be already outside the country’s area of responsibility.

Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon will bring cloudy skies with scattered rains over Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Apayao, Aurora and Quezon

Likewise, Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains due to amihan.

STORM DAMAGE – A section of Daligdigan Bridge in Salvador town, Lanao del Norte, is carried 600 meters downstream by floodwaters spawned by Storm ‘Vinta’ Sunday. (Reuters)