LPA off Visayas now Tropical Depression 'Mario'

MANILA, Philippines - The low pressure area spotted off Visayas developed into Tropical Depression "Mario" on Wednesday, the state weather bureau said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (PAGASA) said in its latest bulletin that the new cyclone was last located at 740 kilometers east of Borongan, Eastern Samar.

Mario is packing maximum winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) and is expected to move west northwest at 24 kph.

PAGASA's forecast track shows that the cyclone will not directly hit the Philippine landmass since it will head to Japan.

The agency said Visayas, the Zamboanga peninsula, Northern Mindanao and the regions of Caraga and Davao will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast to northwest will prevail over Luzon, which will have moderate to rough coastal waters.

Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the northwest to southwest with slight to moderate seas.