'Mario' intensifies into storm; heavy, intense rainfall warnings up in Visayas

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) - The state weather bureau on Thursday issued a heavy rainfall warning for several areas in the Visayas after Tropical cyclone "Mario" strengthened into a storm.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) issued at 10 a.m. the heavy rainfall warning for Cebu?, ?Bohol?, ??Leyte?, ??Southern eyte?, ??Biliran?, ??Iloilo?, ?Capiz?, ?Antique?, ??Guimaras?, ?Aklan?, ?Negros Oriental? and ??Negros Occidental?.

Intense rainfall warning was issued for Samar and Eastern Samar.

PAGASA said flooding is possible in low-lying areas while landslides can occur in mountainous areas.

The agency issued the rainfall warnings due to Mario, which was located at 460 kilometers east of Catarman, Northern Samar at 4 a.m.

The storm is packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 80 kph. It is forecast to move west northwest at 28 kph.

In its bulletin issued on Wednesday night, PAGASA said moderate to heavy rainfall amount (7.5 to 15 millimeters per hour) is expected within the 300-kilometer diameter of the cyclone.

Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas will experience moderate to heavy rains and thunderstorms which may trigger flash floods and landslides.

Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, the rest of Visayas and the regions of Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao and Caraga will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms.

The rest of Mindanao 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 and winds coming from the northwest to southwest will prevail over Visayas and the eastern section of Mindanao.

The coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the northwest to southwest with slight to moderate seas.