Rains seen over Visayas, Mindanao due to new LPA

MANILA, Philippines — Weather bureau PAGASA on Wednesday said a new low pressure area seen within the country's jurisdiction will bring rains over Visayas and Mindanao.

In its public forecast, the agency said the LPA was last seen at 675 kilometers east of General Santos City. 

While the weather disturbance remains with a low chance of intensifying, it is still expected to bring light to moderate with at times heavy rains over the two islands.

"Kaya pinag-iingat ang mga kababayan lalong lalo na ang mga nakatira sa low-lying areas at mga bulubunduking lugar," said weather specialist Ana Clauren, "dahil 'yung mga ulang ating inaasahan ay posibleng magdulot ng pagbaha at pagguho ng lupa."

(Those living in low-lying or mountainous areas should take caution because the rains we are anticipating could possibly bring floods and landslides.)

The Philippines has so far been hit by a single storm this 2021, "Auring" (international name Dujuan), from seeing at least 20 storms on average a year. 

Overall, Auring's cost of damage stood at more 159.83 million, and affected over 272,000 individuals across five regions per disaster response officials. The entire Luzon also remains under a state of calamity after two typhoons and a supertyphoon battered the island consecutively in late 2020.

The northeast monsoon, meanwhile, continues to affect Luzon with isolated light rains possible over Cagayan Valley, the Cordillera Administrative Region as well as in Ilocos.

Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon are seen to have only a small chance of rains.

No gail warning has also so far been raised, according to PAGASA.