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Tropical Depression Auring, first in 2013, prompts storm alerts in 9 areas


At least nine areas were placed under Storm Signal No. 1 as a low-pressure area over Mindanao intensified into a tropical depression before noon Thursday, state weather forecasters said.  
PAGASA's forecast track for TD Auring. It is expected to leave the PAR by Friday evening, Jan. 4.
PAGASA forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said the tropical depression, codenamed Auring, may bring moderate to heavy rain over parts of Palawan and Visayas.
 
"Moderate to heavy ang dala ni Auring. Kahit tropical depression lang siya, ang ulan ang ating binabantayan (It will bring moderate to heavy rain. Even if it's just a tropical depression, we have to watch out because of the rain it will bring)," he said in an interview on dzBB radio.
 
He said Tropical Depression Auring will bring rain of 5 to 15 mm per hour (moderate to heavy).
 
Under Storm Signal No. 1 are:
 
  • Palawan
  • Southern part of Negros provinces
  • Siquijor Island 
  • Lanao del Norte
  • Lanao del Sur
  • Misamis Occidental
  • Zamboanga del Norte
  • Zamboanga del Sur
  • Zamboanga Sibugay
 
"Inaasahan natin bukas (Friday) ng gabi nasa labas na siya ng Philippine area of responsibility," Aurelio said. Bopha victims evacuate anew
Residents of Compostela Valley province have barely recovered from last month's Tropical Cyclone Pablo (Bopha), but have again been forced to leave their homes due to the oncoming weather disturbance.
 
Even before the formation of TD Auring, residents in New Bataan town in Compostela were ordered evacuated by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, radio dzBB reported early Thursday.
 
The evacuation was ordered particularly in Purok 9, 10, 11, 15, and 16, the report said.
 
Compostela Valley was one of two provinces hit hardest by Pablo, which left more than 1,000 dead in its wake.
Weather advisory
PAGASA's 11 a.m. advisory said that, as of 10 a.m., Tropical Depression Auring was estimated at 50 km west of Dipolog City.
 
It packed maximum winds of 55 kph near the center and is forecast to move west at 28 kph.
 
Tropical Depression Auring was forecast to be at 180 km southwest of Puerto Princesa City Friday morning and at 460 km west of Puerto Princesa City by Friday evening or outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
 
"Residents living in low-lying and mountainous areas under public storm warning signal No. 1 are alerted against possible flash floods and landslides. Estimated rainfall amount is from 5 to 15 mm per hour (moderate to heavy) within the 250-km diameter of the tropical depression," PAGASA said.
 
It also advised fishing boats and other small seacrafts not to venture out into the eastern seaboards of the country and over the northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon due to the northeast monsoon.
 
PAGASA issued a similar advice to fishing boats and small seacraft not to venture over the western seaboard of Visayas and Mindanao due to Tropical Depression Auring.  TJD/YA, GMA News
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