PAGASA: Low-pressure area seen over Southern Mindanao

State weather forecasters are monitoring a low-pressure area (LPA) off Mindanao but did not immediately say if it could become the first cyclone to hit the country this year. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also warned of possible flash floods and landslides in parts of Visayas and Mindanao. "Isang LPA ang namataan sa layong 480 kilometers (km) east of Southern Mindanao, at ang northeast monsoon ay umiiral sa Luzon (We spotted an LPA about 480 km east of Southern Mindanao, even as the northeast monsoon continues to prevail over Luzon)," PAGASA forecaster Ben Oris said in an interview on dzBB radio Monday. Should the LPA intensify into a cyclone, it will be codenamed "Amang." On the other hand, PAGASA warned of possible flash floods and landslides over Eastern and Central Visayas, and Northern and Eastern Mindanao. "Visayas and Mindanao will experince cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming widespread rains over Eastern and Central Visayas and Northern and Eastern Mindanao which may trigger flashfloods and landslides. Luzon will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with light rains," it said. Moderate to strong winds blowing from the Northeast will prevail over Luzon and Visayas and from the Northeast and East over Eastern Mindanao. Coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the Northeast and East with slight to moderate seas. Meanwhile, PAGASA said strong to gale force winds are expected to affect the seaboards of Luzon and Visayas and the eastern seaboard of Mindanao. PAGASA warned fishermen and crew of small seacraft not to venture out to sea, and larger sea vessels to watch out for big waves. – VVP, GMANews.TV