The low-pressure area being monitored by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration has intensified into a tropical depression and is expected to enter the country’s area of responsibility yesterday.
Before noon yesterday, the tropical cyclone was estimated at 1,200 kilometers east of Mindanao or outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
It is moving west-northwest at 27 kilometers per hour and once it enters the PAR, the tropical depression will be named “Basyang,” the second tropical cyclone to affect the country this year.
The tropical cyclone has maximum sustained winds of 55 kph and gustiness of up to 65 kph. PAGASA said the tropical cyclone still has no direct effect yet in any part of the country.
Should it maintain its current speed and track, the tropical cyclone will make landfall over Visayas or Mindanao early this week.
“Maritime operations along the eastern seaboards of Visayas and of Mindanao may be disrupted once tropical cyclone warning signal is raised tonight (last night),” PAGASA said.
This morning, PAGASA said the tropical depression is expected to be 550 kms east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur and in the vicinity of Butuan City tomorrow morning.
The tropical depression will bring moderate to at times heavy rains over Eastern Mindanao and southern part of Eastern Visayas today.
The rest of Visayas and Mindanao will be cloudy with scattered rains and thunderstorms while Northern and Central Luzon and the Bicol region will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers. (Ellalyn V. Ruiz)
