BATANES SHOULD BRACE FOR ‘EMONG’

Residents of Batanes province and Babuyan Islands should brace for strong winds and heavy rains from Tropical Depression “Emong,” the government weather bureau said on Sunday.

Tropical cyclone wind signal No. 1 was raised in Batanes and the northeastern portion of Cagayan, particularly Santa Ana and Gonzaga towns, including Babuyan Islands, in anticipation of the storm, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

As of 4 p.m., Emong’s center was estimated at 780 kilometers east of Virac town in Catanduanes province.

It slightly gained strength on Sunday afternoon, blowing winds of up to 55 km per hour near the center and gusts of up to 70 kph.

The tropical depression moved toward the north northwest direction at 25 kph.

Pagasa said Emong was expected to intensify into a tropical storm by Monday. Based on its forecast track, its center may traverse over the Batanes-Babuyan Islands area between Monday evening and Tuesday morning, bringing strong winds.

It will then weaken into a tropical depression after passing the islands and is expected to leave the Philippine territory by Tuesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, a low-pressure area west of Oriental Mindoro province, along with the southwest monsoon, will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain in Metro Manila, central and southern Luzon, Bicol region, the Visayas and Mindanao on Monday.