Southward shift by Hanna may cause Signal No. 1 in Batanes

Typhoon Hanna has maintained its strength as it continued to move 15 kph westward over the Philippine Sea.

According to PAGASA's tropical cyclone bulletin released at past 11 p.m. on Friday, the eye of the storm was last seen 595 kilometers east northeast of Basco, Batanes.

It had maximum sustained winds of 120 kph and gustiness of up to 150 kph.

For the rest of the forecast period, Hanna is anticipated to move generally westward or west northwestward, but a possible southward shift in the forecast may cause the hoisting of tropical cyclone wind Signal No. 1 over Batanes.

Hanna is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility and emerge over the Taiwan Strait between Sunday evening to Monday morning as a severe tropical storm or a minimal typhoon.

No tropical cyclone wind signals have been raised, but the typhoon continues to enhance the Southwest Monsoon along with Typhoon Soila and Severe Tropical Storm Kirogi just outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility.

As a result of the enhanced Southwest Monsoon, occasional to monsoon rains over the western portion of Luzon is to be expected within the next three days.

Gusty conditions have also been forecast in the following areas:

• Friday to Sunday: Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Vizcaya, Zambales, Pampanga, Bataan, Aurora, Bulacan, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, and the northern portion of Eastern Visayas.
• Monday: Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Vizcaya, Zambales, Pampanga, Bataan, Aurora, Bulacan, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, and most of Bicol Region, MIMAROPA, and Western Visayas.

A gale warning is also in effect for most seaboards of Luzon and Western Visayas, and the seaboard of Northern Samar due to the enhanced Southwest Monsoon.

The enhanced Southwest Monsoon has resulted in floods in parts of the country over the past days.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has distributed aid to residents affected by flooding in the National Capital Region.

According to a statement released by DSWD on Friday, some 390 family food packs were released to Manila’s 5th District on Thursday, while flood-affected residents in the 1st and 4th Districts received a total of 1,685 family food packs (FFP).

"The DSWD is in coordination with other LGUs for their needed assistance. We are also currently arranging the FFPs and other relief items to be delivered to the 3rd District of Manila and Caloocan City," said DSWD Spokesperson Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez.

The enhanced Southwest Monsoon and the typhoons have affected over 1,278 families or 5,015 individuals living in NCR, according to the DSWD.

Meanwhile, individuals affected by a massive fire incident in Las Piñas also got food packs, hygiene kits, sleeping kits and kitchen kits from the DSWD.

Aid were also distributed to the 210 families affected by a fire in Culiat, Quezon City .

The DSWD added that over 385 food packs and sleeping kits will also be provided to fire-affected families in Barangay 650, Manila after an incident on August 5. —NB, GMA Integrated News