The low-pressure area east of the country has developed into tropical depression “Inday,” which will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon or “habagat” until the weekend.
Esperanza Cayanan, chief of the Weather Division of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration, said Inday will bring intermittent moderate to occasional heavy monsoon rains over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Apayao, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, and Bulacan.
Scattered light to moderate with at times heavy monsoon rains are expected over Metro Manila, Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, and Tarlac until tomorrow.
Residents of these areas, especially those living in low-lying and mountainous areas, are advised to take appropriate actions against possible flooding and landslides.
Inday was estimated at around noon yesterday at 660 kilometers east-southeast of Basco, Batanes, with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 65 kph. It is the third cyclone to affect the country this month.
Inday will initially move east at 15 kph, then northeast within the next few days, Cayanan said. Based on its latest track, Inday will not hit land but will continue to enhance the habagat.
Cayanan said Inday will likely further intensify into a tropical storm within 24 hours. It may become a severe tropical storm after leaving the country’s area of responsibility by Saturday, she added. (Ellalyn V. Ruiz)
