PAGASA: LPA to bring moderate to heavy rains over Visayas

CEBU, Philippines — More days of wet weather are expected in Cebu as a low-pressure area (LPA) continues to affect the Visayas, with the state weather bureau warning that moderate to heavy rains could trigger floods and landslides in vulnerable areas.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the LPA will continue to bring cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms across the Visayas over the next few days.

The state weather bureau said moderate to occasionally heavy rains may trigger flooding in low-lying communities and landslides in mountainous areas.

In Weather Advisory No. 6 issued at 5 p.m. Monday, PAGASA identified several provinces expected to receive 50 to 100 millimeters of rainfall until Thursday, July 2, although Cebu was not included in the heavy rainfall outlook.

Despite this, PAGASA advised the public not to let their guard down, saying localized heavy downpours remain possible, particularly in areas prone to flooding and landslides.

Rainfall may also be higher in mountainous and elevated areas.

The weather bureau reminded disaster risk reduction and management offices to implement the necessary measures to protect lives and property as the weather disturbance continues to influence conditions over parts of the country.

As a precaution, classes were suspended Monday in the municipalities of Santa Fe and Medellin.

In a post, Cebu Province said further announcements would depend on succeeding weather bulletins and prevailing conditions.

PAGASA said forecasts indicate that the LPA will continue to affect weather conditions until Wednesday, July 1, with intermittent rains expected over much of the Visayas.

Col. Dennis Pastor, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said command centers continue to monitor weather developments and regularly relay advisories to local disaster risk reduction and management offices.

"Our command centers are continuously monitoring the weather and issuing weather advisories and updates to the local DRRMOs," Pastor said.

Pastor urged residents to stay informed through official government advisories instead of relying on unverified social media posts during severe weather events.

"Always listen sa credible advisories, local chief executives, local DRRMOs... ayaw nang sa Facebook lang, listen to them," he said.

Moreover, PAGASA clarified that a weather advisory provides a 24-hour provincial outlook, while a heavy rainfall warning covers the next three hours at the municipal level using Doppler radar technology.

The agency encouraged the public to closely monitor succeeding advisories as the situation may change depending on the movement and development of the LPA. — (FREEMAN)