‘Vicky’ accelerates before departure, a storm sighted: PAGASA

MANILA – Tropical depression Vicky accelerated Sunday morning before its departure from the Philippine area of ​​responsibility, while a new area of ​​low pressure was detected east of Catanduanes, the state meteorological office said.

The country’s 22nd storm this year was last estimated at 135 kilometers east southeast of Kalayaan, Palawan, at 10 a.m. Sunday, moving west at 35 kilometers per hour, with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour. close to downtown and gusts up to 70 kilometers per hour.

It is forecast to move generally west-northwest over the Western Philippine Sea in the next 12 hours and is likely to depart PAR by Sunday afternoon, PAGASA said in its 11 a.m. bulletin.

Storm sign no. 1 remains hoisted over the Kalayaan Islands, where winds of 30 to 60 kilometers per hour could tear the roofs of nipa and cogon huts, damage rice crops and topple banana plants.

Meanwhile, the new LPA, last detected 140 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes, is “less likely” to turn into a tropical depression in the next 24 hours, PAGASA said.

The tropical depression, the gathering storm and the end of a frontal system on Sunday will bring moderate to heavy rains, sometimes intense, over the mainland valley of Cagayan, Apayao, Kalinga, mountain province, Ifugao, Aurora, Quezon , Bicol region, the northern part of Palawan, including the Calamian Islands and the Kalayaan Islands.

Metro Manila, the Babuyan Islands, North Samar and the rest of the Cordilleras, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Mimaropa will experience light to moderate rains and sometimes heavy rains, according to the meteorological office.

Rain-induced flooding and landslides can occur during periods of heavy or prolonged rains, especially in areas highly susceptible to these hazards and those that recently received heavy rains, he added.

At least one more storm is forecast to enter the country before the year is out, PAGASA weather forecaster Chris Perez previously said.