Luzon folk cautioned against flashfloods

MANILA, Philippines - Residents in Luzon should brace for possible flashfloods and landslides as the southwest monsoon will continue to dump rains on some parts of Luzon including Metro Manila this week, the state weather bureau said yesterday.

Robert Sawi, weather division chief of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said central and southern Luzon would still experience moderate to occasionally heavy rains this week due to the southwest monsoon enhanced by Tropical Storm Man-yi.

He warned that moderate to occasionally heavy rains are likely to affect Mindoro, Cavite, Batangas, Bataan, Zambales and Metro Manila.

As of 2:55 p.m. yesterday, the yellow rainfall warning advisory was raised over Metro Manila, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, Zambales, Occidental Mindoro, Tarlac and portions of Batangas, Quezon, and Nueva Ecija.

Under a yellow rainfall alert, moderate to occasional heavy rain is likely to continue over the area for the next three hours.

PAGASA also spotted a low-pressure area 1,010 kilometers east of Luzon at 4 p.m. yesterday. But the low-pressure area is not expected to affect the country within the next 24 to 48 hours.