LPA near Manila won't intensify into storm - PAGASA

MANILA, Philippines - The low pressure area (LPA) that has been bringing heavy rains over Metro Manila and nearby provinces will not intensify into a storm, a government weather forecaster said Tuesday afternoon.

Boy Soriaga, weather forecaster at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said that they are expecting lesser volume of rains by Tuesday night.

Soriaga added that the LPA was expected to dissipate by Wednesday or Thursday.

PAGASA spotted the LPA as of 8 a.m. Tuesday at 60 kilometers northwest of Ambulong, Batangas or 50 kilometers west southwest of Manila.

The LPA brought widespread rains over Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, Metro Manila and Western Visayas.

In Metro Manila, work in several government offices, including the Senate and the Office of the Ombudsman, were suspended due to heavy rains.

The Supreme Court also suspended work in all lower courts in Metro Manila at 1 p.m. The SC's offices, meanwhile, closed at 3 p.m.

Afternoon classes in several public and private schools from preschool to tertiary level were also suspended due to floods and the nonstop rains, which started since Monday night.

Meanwhile, PAGASA is closely monitoring the rising water level at La Mesa Dam, which supplies water to Metro Manila and Ipo Dam, which stretches to eight towns in Bulacan province.

As of 2 p.m., the Ipo Dam's water level was already at 100.87 meters, which is already more than 0.07 meters from its normal water level. La Mesa Dam's water level, meanwhile, is already near its spilling level of 80.15 meters.

People living along the two dams have been asked to evacuate.