Weather: Floods, landslides continue to threaten Central Luzon

Rains from a potential cyclone and the southwest monsoon threaten to trigger flash floods and landslides over parts of Central Luzon, state weather forecasters said Wednesday afternoon. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the potential cyclone, a low-pressure area, was estimated at 1,100 km east of Luzon as of 2 p.m. In its 5 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA also said the southwest monsoon is affecting Northern and Central Luzon. “Northern and Central Luzon will experience occasional rains becoming frequent over the western section of Central Luzon which may trigger flashfloods and landslides while the rest of Luzon will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms," it said. It added Visayas and Mindanao will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms. PAGASA did not say if the LPA would intensify into a cyclone. If it does, it will be codenamed “Hanna." Earlier, PAGASA forecaster Elvie Enriquez said a tropical storm (international code name Ma-on) may enter the Philippines during the weekend. While Enriquez said the storm is not likely to make landfall, she said it may enhance the southwest monsoon. Meanwhile, PAGASA said moderate to strong winds blowing from the Southwest will prevail over Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the Southeast to Southwest with slight to moderate seas. — KBK, GMA News