Vicky downgraded to tropical depression, moves further away from Kalayaan Islands

Tropical Storm Vicky has weakened into tropical depression as it continued to move away from Kalayaan Islands on Monday, according to latest PAGASA's 11 a.m. update.

Vicky, which lashed many areas in the Visayas and Mindanao over the weekend, left eight people dead and two injured, disaster officials said.

"The tropical cyclone wind signal over the Kalayaan Islands is now lifted," PAGASA said.

But due to the surge of the northeast monsoon enhanced by Vicky, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and the northern portions of Cagayan, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte will be experiencing "strong to gale-force winds," it added.

Occasional gusty conditions are also likely over the eastern portions of mainland Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, and Palawan including Calamian Islands, PAGASA also said.

Vicky exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Sunday.

Monday forecast

According to PAGASA, moderate to heavy rains are expected over Kalayaan Islands, Babuyan and Calayan Islands, the eastern portion of mainland Cagayan Valley, Aurora, and the northern portion of Quezon.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains, meanwhile, are expected over the rest of mainland Cagayan Valley, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao,

"Flooding (including flash floods) and rain-induced landslides may occur during heavy or prolonged periods of rainfall, especially in areas identified to be highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards and in localities that received significant antecedent rainfall over the past couple of days or weeks," PAGASA warned. --KBK, GMA News