Torrential rain alert up as 'Seniang' traverses Bohol Sea

MANILA, Philippines - The state weather bureau on Monday afternoon issued a red rainfall advisory for Bohol and two other provinces in the Visayas due to Tropical Storm "Seniang."

?The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) issued at 5 p.m. the red rainfall warning for Bohol?, ?Southern Leyte? and ?Leyte? where torrential rainfall amount was observed in one hour and was expected to persist in the next two hours.

In these provinces, serious flooding and landslides are expected in low lying areas and in mountainous areas, respectively.

An orange rainfall warning was also issued for Cebu?, ?Siquijor?, ??Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, ??Eastern Samar?, ??Samar? ?and ?Biliran Island?. Intense downpour was observed in these areas.

The agency said in its latest bulletin that the eye of the storm was located at 140 kilometers east southeast of Tagbilaran City.

Seniang was still packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 80 kph.

Forecast to move west northwest at 11 kph, Seniang is now traversing the Bohol Sea, PAGASA said.

In the Visayas, public storm warning signal no. 1 remains hoisted over Bohol, Siquijor, Southern Cebu, Negros Oriental, and the southern part of Negros Occidental.

The same storm signal is also still up in several areas in Surigao del Norte, Siargao Island, Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin and Dinagat Province.

Signal no. 1 is also raised over Leyte, Southern Leyte, Camotes Island, Rest of Cebu, rest of Negros Occidental, Guimaras, southern part of Iloilo, southern part of Antique, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay and Agusan del Sur.