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As severe tropical storm “Siony” (international name: Atsani) moves into the Western Philippine Sea, meteorologists are now monitoring a low pressure area (LPA) that could turn into a tropical depression.
In a 5 p.m. bulletin issued Friday, the Philippines Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Siony was spotted 145 kilometers west-northwest of Itbayat, Batanes, and headed west at 20 kilometers per hour.
It is expected to weaken due to a surge of northeast winds over the Western Philippine Sea. Siony, which has up to 95 kilometers per hour of maximum sustained winds, could be downgraded to an LPA on Sunday afternoon, according to Pagasa.
The state meteorological office warned of strong breezes or conditions close to gales over Batanes, and light to moderate rains over the province and the Babuyan Islands.
High seas waves, or waves 3 to 8 meters high, will prevail in waters near Batanes, Pagasa added.
Shipping delays
Meanwhile, the new meteorological disturbance east of Mindanao entered the Philippine area of responsibility on Friday afternoon. The LPA was located 955 km east of Visayas.
Pagasa said this could turn into the tropical depression “Tonyo” within 36 hours and move towards the Eastern Visayas.
“The LPA trough will bring scattered light to moderate rains, sometimes with heavy rains over the Mindanao, Eastern and Central Visayas and Bicol regions,” the bulletin read.
Siony and recent typhoons have delayed rice shipments to Itbayat, Batanes, causing a shortage of commercial rice, province officials said.
Governor Marilou Cayco said the province only had 478 bags of rice left in the local warehouse of the National Food Authority.
“I have already ordered 4,000 more bags of rice. About 1,000 bags have already been loaded onto a cargo ship, but it was unable to sail from Manila due to the recent typhoons, ”Cayco told the Inquirer.
With the imminent rice supply shortage, the ivatans were prepared to turn to other staples such as “ovud” (banana roots) and tubers as an alternative food, said Nilda Salengua García, municipal disaster risk reduction and management officer for Itbayat.
The province began experiencing heavy rains and huge waves that were triggered by Siony at 2 a.m. Friday, Garcia said.
“We expect a delay in the supply of food from Basco and outside the province due to bad weather,” he said.
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