'Rolly' spotted off Tagbilaran

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical storm “Quinta” may have moved toward the South China Sea but another tropical depression has entered the Philippine area of responsibility, an official of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said yesterday.

Pagasa weather branch chief Nathaniel Cruz said that as of 5 p.m. yesterday, tropical depression “Rolly” was spotted 40 kilometers north of Tagbiliaran City, Bohol and was moving west at 19 kilometers per hour.

Rolly is the 18th tropical cyclone to enter the country this year.

“It has the same intensity as Quinta; they both have 45-kilometer per hour winds,” Cruz said.

“Right now Rolly is still classified as a tropical depression and there is a small chance that it would develop into a storm because it will dissipate once it makes landfall,” he added.

He said that apart from Bohol, Rolly is expected to pass through Panay Island and Negros.

Public Storm Warning Signal No. 1 was hoisted over Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Guimaras Island, Capiz, Aklan, Antique, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Camotes Island, Siquijor Island, and Camiguin Island.

Pagasa advised those living in low-lying and mountainous areas under Signal No. 1 to be on alert against possible flash floods and landslides.

Cruz said Metro Manila will not be directly hit by Rolly and the city will only experience cloudy skies and scattered rainshowers.

He also urged the divers participating in the search and rescue operations for the victims of M/B Don Dexter that capsized off Masbate and the retrieval operations for the bodies inside the M/V Princess of the Stars that sank off Sibuyan Island in Romblon to be on the lookout for changes in weather conditions.

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on-scene commander Captain Lino Paiton said the diving operations of Harbor Star resumed yesterday and that they recovered nine more bodies from the M/V Princess of the Stars, bringing to 175 the total number of bodies that have been recovered.

Cruz said this afternoon Rolly is expected to be northeast of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan.

“Rolly will probably be in the country for three days. It might leave the country by Nov. 11,” said Cruz.

As of 10 a.m. yesterday, Pagasa said Quinta was spotted 470 kilometers west of Iba, Zambales, with maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour and gustiness of 100 kilometers per hour.