Low-pressure area nears Mindanao, more rain likely

A low-pressure area moved closer to the General Santos City area Wednesday and threatened to bring more rain to Mindanao and parts of Visayas, including areas badly affected by flash floods since last week. PAGASA forecaster Buddy Javier said told dzBB radio that while the LPA is not likely to become a cyclone in the next 24 hours, they cannot discount the possibility of it intensifying into one since it is still at sea and gaining strength. Should the LPA become a cyclone, it will be locally codenamed Crising. Javier warned the LPA may pose a threat to parts of Mindanao including the Davao area, which had been plagued by flash floods. "Sa bandang Mindanao last week pa umuulan. Kaunting ulan na lang, ang lupa saturated, pwede magkaroon ng landslide," he said. Flash floods, landslides PAGASA's 5 a.m. bulletin said the LPA was estimated to be 300 km southeast of General Santos City as of 4 a.m. It added that, besides the LPA, the northeast monsoon is also affecting Luzon. "The regions of Caraga, Davao, SOCCSKSARGEN, Northern Mindanao and Eastern Visayas will experience cloudy skies with moderate to heavy rain showers and thunderstorms which may trigger flash floods and landslides," it said. The rest of Mindanao and Visayas will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers or thunderstorms. Metro Manila, Bicol, Cagayan Valley, CALABARZON and Aurora and Quezon provinces will be cloudy with light rain. The rest of the country will have partly cloudy skies with brief light rain. Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail throughout the archipelago and the coastal waters will be moderate to rough. Meanwhile, PAGASA said strong to gale-force winds associated with the northeast monsoon may affect the northern seaboard of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Luzon, of Visayas and of Mindanao. "Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves," it said. — DVM, GMA News