‘Katring’ enters RP territory, may bring rains on election day

(Updated 11:14 p.m.) Tropical depression “Katring" entered the Philippine territory on Saturday afternoon and may bring rains to the southwestern portion of Luzon and the Visayas in the coming days, including election day on Monday, the state weather bureau said. In its 11 p.m. weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the weather disturbance entered the country at 2 p.m. Saturday and was last spotted 1,170 kilometers east of Central Luzon. Katring—the eleventh weather disturbance to enter the country this year—packs maximum winds of 55 kph near the center and is expected to move west southwest at 15 kph, the state weather bureau said. It added that the tropical depression is “still too far to affect any part of the country" at its current position.
PAGASA weather forecaster Chris Perez meanwhile said in a television report that Katring is still not likely to make landfall in the Philippines and may hit Japan with the direction it is currently taking. “Kapag nagtuloy-tuloy ang ganitong forecast scenario, hindi pa rin po natin inaasahang tuluyang tatama ng anumang bahagi ng ating bansa si Katring," Perez said in a report aired over GMA News’ “24 Oras." (If this forecast scenario continues to unfold, we won’t expect Katring to eventually hit any portion of our country.) Although the tropical depression will likely spare the country, Perez also warned of rains brought about by Katring, especially in the southwestern part of Luzon and some parts of the Visayas region. “Posible ‘yung ilang areas ng western section ng southern Luzon at Visayas ay maapektuhan ng bagyong si Katring. Depende pa po ‘yan kung patuloy pa itong lalakas," he said. (It’s possible that some areas of the western section of southern Luzon and Visayas will be affected by cyclone Katring. It will depend on whether the cyclone will continue to gain strength.) If it continues along its present path, Katring is expected to be 880 km east of Central Luzon by Sunday evening, and 540 km east of Central Luzon by Monday evening. On Tuesday evening, it is forecast to be 350 km east of extreme Northern Luzon. Katring entered the country a few days after typhoon "Juan" left a wide swath of destruction across northern Luzon, claiming 26 lives and destroying property estimated at P7.6 billion. (See: Disaster-reduction body: Death toll rises to 26; four persons missing) Meanwhile, PAGASA said typhoon "Juan," which is now over the South China Sea, and "Katring" will influence the weather over Luzon and Visayas in the next three days. In its special weather outlook for the Oct. 25 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, PAGASA said the western parts of Luzon and Visayas will be cloudy with rainshowers and thunderstorms. "Western Luzon and Western Visayas will be cloudy with rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming widespread rains over Southern Luzon on Monday. Most parts of Mindanao will have good weather condition aside from isolated afternoon or evening rainshowers and thunderstorms," it said. PAGASA also forecast winds moderate to strong coming from the southwest over Northern Luzon with moderate to rough seas, slight to moderate winds blowing from the southwest with slight to moderate coastal waters.—With Andreo C. Calonzo/JV, GMANews.TV