PAGASA: More floods, landslides loom over east Visayas, Mindanao

After leaving at least nine people dead and affecting more than 15,000 residents, flash floods and landslides continue to threaten parts of Visayas and Mindanao, state weather forecasters said Friday. Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecaster Gener Quitlong said the northeast monsoon is prevailing over Luzon while a wind convergence is affecting Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. "Ang payo natin sa mga kababayan natin diyan maging alerto tayo. Naroon ang convergence zone kaya nakakabuo ang kaulapan (Our advice to our people living in those areas is to be alert. There is a wind convergence over Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, and clouds bringing rains are likely to form there)," Quitlong said in an interview on dzBB radio. On Thursday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the death toll from floods and landslides that hit parts of the Visayas and Mindanao in past days went up to nine. Some 3,130 families or 15,398 people from Bohol, Western Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte in the Visayas; and Misamis Oriental and South Cotabato in Mindanao were affected. Of these, 2,878 families or 14,138 people were evacuated. Yet, PAGASA said the affected areas may still continue to experience rains. "Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over the Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas and Northeastern Mindanao which may trigger flashfloods and landslides. Northern and Central Luzon will be be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated light rains," PAGASA said in its 5 a.m. bulletin. — LBG, GMA News