Pagasa cautions fisherfolks, small vessels from sailing as Ineng intensifies into tropical storm

Pagasa Visayas Weather Specialist Netherlen Seletrero said Tropical Storm Ineng may intensify habagat and bring rains in Central and Western Visayas. CDND PHOTO / Rosalie Abatayo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Despite the absence of a gale warning in the Visayas, the state weather bureau is reminding fishermen and small vessels to be cautious in sailing out to the seas in the height of Tropical Storm (TS) Ineng.

The rainbands of TS Ineng is expected to bring isolated rains in Eastern Visayas, said Netherlen Seletrero, weather specialist of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) in Mactan.

TS Ineng has intensified from a tropical depression on Wednesday afternoon, August 21.

Although TS Ineng is less likely to make a landfall anywhere in the country, Seletrero said it will intensify the southwest monsoon or Habagat and bring rains and moderate to rough winds in Central and Western Visayas.

As of 3 p.m. on Wednesday, August 21, the center of TS Ineng was located 1,135 East of Infanta, Quezon.

It is moving northwest with a speed of 15 kilometers per hour.

TS Ineng has maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 80 kilometers per hour.

Seletrero said the eastern seaboards of Cebu may be placed under a gale warning within 24 hours.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Michael John Encina, spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard District Central Visayas (PCGDCV), said no suspension of trips has been reported in the ports of Central Visayas as of 4 p.m., August 21.

TS Ineng is expected to be out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Sunday, August 25. / celr