Pagasa: 2 more tropical depressions may hit RP this week

Barely had Luzon recovered from the destruction wrought by tropical storm "Ondoy," a state weather forecaster on Monday said two tropical depressions threaten to enter the country later this week. In an interview on dwIZ radio, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) forecaster Connie Dadivas said the two weather disturbances are likely to enter Philippine territory late Wednesday or Thursday. "May dalawang tropical depression sa labas ng Philippine area of responsibility. Ine-expect natin na papasok sa bansa, papasok ito sa boundary by Wednesday hapon or Thursday (We see two tropical depressions outside the Philippine area of responsibility. We expect them to enter Philippine boundary by late Wednesday or Thursday)," Dadivas said. But another Pagasa forecaster Joel Jesusa, in a separate radio interview, said the two LPAs are still far away to affect any part of the country for now. "Malayo pa po, sobrang layo pa ang binabanggit nating dalawang LPA, 1,000 km pa ito (The two LPAs are still too far away, they are about 1,000 km away)," he said on dzXL radio. He added that the two LPAs were moving west-northwest as of Monday. Earlier, Pagasa said Ondoy continued to move farther away from the country Sunday night, and was 560 kilometers west of Iba, Zambales as of 10 p.m. Sunday. It packed maximum winds of 110 kilometers-per-hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 140 kph, and was moving west-northwest at 17 kph. However, Pagasa said Ondoy will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring occasional rains over the western sections of Central and Southern Luzon. "Luzon will experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms while Visayas and Mindanao will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms," Pagasa said in its 5 a.m. bulletin Monday. Ondoy struck Luzon on Saturday, bringing epic proportions of floodwater in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon. [See: Epic flood in Metro Manila caused by record rainfall] As of 6 a.m. Monday, the death toll from Ondoy has reached 86 based on the tally by the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). The figure, however, does not include 12 reported deaths in Antipolo City, 29 in Quezon City, and 58 in Marikina City as announced by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. [See: Death toll from storm 'Ondoy' continues to rise - NDCC] - GMANews.TV