Pagasa warns against rain-induced landslides, flooding

Metro Cebu will continue to experience cloudy skies this Thursday with high chances of moderate to occasionally heavy rains, Pagasa said. | Photo courtesy of Pagasa

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Following days of moderate to heavy rains, the state weather bureau warns the public to be vigilant against possible rain-induced flooding and landslides in high-risk areas.

In the Visayas, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the wet weather in the past days was due to the effects of the low-pressure area (LPA) inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility.

On Thursday, August 20, 2020, the cold weather in Cebu is caused by the Southwest monsoon while the LPA continues to affect Eastern Visayas.

Read: Cebu CDRRMO on blue alert due to heavy rains

“Sa Cebu, mostly cloudy to cloudy ta. Naa pa tay mga pag-uwan ug thunderstorms diri sa afternoon ug sa gabii,” Pagasa Mactan Weather Specialist Jhomer Eclarino said.

(We will have mostly cloudy to cloudy skies in Cebu. We will continue to experience rainshowers and thunderstorms especially in the afternoon and evening.)

Eclarino said the public, especially those residing in high-risk areas such as near riverbanks and in the uplands, to continuously monitor updates and be vigilant for possible rain-induced flooding and landslides.

On Wednesday evening, a red rainfall warning was hoisted over the central and northern portions of Cebu while the southern section of the province was under yellow rainfall alert due to the torrential rains.

As of 10 a.m. of Thursday, moderate to occasionally heavy rainshowers with lightning and strong winds are experienced over Camotes Island in northern.

“Saturated na man ang yuta. So, kung naa tay occasional nga mga moderate to heavy rain possible ang pagdahili sa mga landslide-prone areas,” Eclarino said.

(The soils are already saturated. When there are occasional moderate to heavy rains, landslides are possible in prone areas.)

Meanwhile, Pagasa said that as of 10 a.m., the LPA inside PAR was located at about 120 kilometers north of Daet, Camarines Sur.

The LPA  may develop into a tropical depression within the next 48 hours. /bmjo

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