Storm 'Katring' intensifies further, moves toward Japan

Tropical storm "Katring" (Chaba) intensified further early Tuesday as it heads north-northwest and more likely to make landfall over Southern Japan. Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecaster Elvie Enriquez said Tuesday Katring is not likely to affect the Philippines. "Si Katring ay patuloy pa ring lumalakas [pero] ito ay kumikilos ng pahilaga-hilagang kanluaran. Ibig sabihin palihis sa ating bansa, tinutungo nito ang isla sa southern islands of Japan," Enriquez said in an interview on dzBB radio. (Katring continues to intensify but is moving north-northwest. It is moving away from the Philippines and heading toward the southern islands of Japan). With this, she said Katring has virtually no more chance of making landfall on Philippine territory. Still, she said some Philippine provinces may still be rainy. As of 4 a.m. Tuesday, PAGASA said Katring was estimated at 690 km east of extreme northern Luzon with maximum winds of 100 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 130 kph. It is forecast to move north northwest at 11 kph. "Eastern and Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms. The rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms," PAGASA said in its 5 a.m. bulletin. Meanwhile, gates remained open in three dams in northern Luzon, including the Ambuklao in Benguet; Binga in Benguet; and Magat in Isabela. Ambuklao kept two gates open as water levels as of 6 a.m. Tuesday remained at 751.53 meters, less than one meter below the 752-meter spilling level. Binga kept two gates open as water levels as of 6 a.m. Tuesday were at 574.40 meters, barely below the 575-meter spilling level. Magat kept one gate open as water levels were at 286.20 meters, slightly below the 288-meter spilling level. — LBG, GMANews.TV