Active LPA off Mindanao intensifies into 'Karen'

MANILA, Philippines - An active low-pressure area east of Mindanao developed into a tropical depression yesterday and is expected to dump heavy rains over some parts of the country later this week, the state weather bureau said.

As of 4 p.m., tropical depression “Karen” (international name Sanba) was spotted at 800 kilometers east of Guiuan, Samar, with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center.

“Tropical depression Karen is still too far to affect any part of the country,” the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

PAGASA weather forecaster Nikos Peñaranda, however, said some parts of the country, including Metro Manila, would continue to experience thunderstorms especially in the afternoon or evening.

PAGASA said Karen is likely to intensify within the next six to 12 hours.

Peñaranda, however, said the storm is unlikely to make landfall in any part of the country.

“It is expected to move to Taiwan or Southern Japan,” Peñaranda said.

But the weather disturbance will enhance the southwest monsoon that will bring rains over Southern Luzon (Calabarzon), including Metro Manila, beginning tonight until Saturday, he said.

The heavy monsoon rains that continued until Tuesday morning forced several schools in Manila to suspend classes. Hundreds of commuters were left stranded because of the floods.

Until midnight Monday, several roads leading to neighboring cities of Manila were flooded.

The University of Santos Tomas (UST) has suspended classes in all levels and office work as the flood along España Boulevard was gutter-deep.

About 1,500 students in UST were forced to spend the night inside the campus.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said they would conduct declogging operations in the area to prevent the repeat of massive flooding.

Several houses were destroyed by a flashflood that swept through two villages in Malaybalay City in Bukidnon Monday afternoon, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported yesterday.

NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos said the flashfloods displaced a total of 53 households, 46 of them from the city’s Purok 4A and seven from Cabangbangan Purok 7.

A number of houses from these villages, Ramos said, have been destroyed in the flooding caused by heavy rains brought about by the active low-pressure area that later developed to a tropical depression east of Mindanao.

The NDRRMC’s Operation Center is on blue alert in view of the prevailing weather system, Ramos said.

The NDRRMC is closely watching areas in Bicol, Samar, Leyte and the eastern parts of Mindanao.

He said weather advisories have been disseminated, especially in the Caraga region, to alert the public on the possible effect of the new weather disturbance in their respective communities and villages. – Rey Galupo, Jaime Laude, Evelyn Macairan, Alexis Romero