Surf's down: San Juan, La Union beach closed amid bad weather

The Office of the Mayor in San Juan, La Union—the famed surfing capital of the North—has ordered a beach closure and suspension of water-related activities as the town grapples with inclement weather.

The order comes into effect on Saturday, July 5, due to the combined effects of the former tropical depression Bising and the Southwest Monsoon or Habagat.

Bising (international name: Danas) has intensified into a tropical storm and is forecast to reenter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Monday early morning. 

State weather bureau PAGASA said that as of 3 a.m., Bising was spotted 480 kilometers west of Basco, Batanes, with maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h and gusts of up to 90 km/h.

Northern Luzon, including La Union, was expected to experience moderate to strong winds and moderate to rough coastal waters, while the rest of the country will have light to moderate winds and slight to moderate coastal waters.

All barangay officials of coastal villages in San Juan, and personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) were instructed to ensure strict implementation of the executive order, which will remain in effect until further notice. — VDV, GMA Integrated News