'Isang' threatening Mindanao - Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines - A low-pressure area east of Northern Mindanao intensified into a tropical depression Tuesday afternoon, with state weather forecasters naming it "Isang." The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said "Isang" was 555 kms east of Northern Mindanao as of 4 p.m. with maximum winds of 55 kph near the center. In its 5 p.m. advisory, Pagasa said "Isang" was moving west-northwest at 19 kph and is expected to be 285 kms East of Borongan, Eastern Samar Wednesday afternoon. By Thursday afternoon it is expected to be 180 kms east-northeast of Virac, Catanduanes. By Friday afternoon it is expected to be 285 kms east of Tuguegarao, Cagayan. Meanwhile, another LPA was spotted at 285 kms west of Iba, Zambales, and will continue to enhance the Southwest Monsoon and bring occasional to frequent rains over the western section of Luzon and Visayas. "The whole country will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over the western sections of Central and Southern Luzon, Western and Eastern Visayas and Eastern Mindanao which may trigger flashfloods and landslides," Pagasa said. It added moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest and south would prevail over Luzon and Western Visayas with moderate to rough seas. Elsewhere, winds would be moderate to occasionally strong blowing from the southwest with moderate to occasionally rough seas. - GMANews.TV