Weather: 'Mina' now a tropical storm, PAGASA says

Tropical Depression Mina has intensified into a tropical storm and started to move north Tuesday afternoon, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said. In its 5 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Mina was estimated at 355 km east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes as of 4 p.m., packing maximum winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. PAGASA said Mina was forecast to move north at 5 kph. "The eastern sections of northern and Central Luzon, southern Luzon and the Visayas will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over [the] Bicol Region, Palawan, and Western Visayas, which may trigger flash floods and landslides," it said. PAGASA added the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms. Meanwhile, moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast to northwest will prevail over northern and Central Luzon, and coming from the southwest over the rest of the country. PAGASA also issued a gale warning, saying strong to gale force winds may affect the eastern seaboard of Luzon and the seaboard of Visayas. "Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves," it said. Meanwhile, PAGASA said five to eight more cyclones are expected for the rest of the year. "18-21 tropical cyclones this year. Mina is our 13th cyclone. We expect 5-8 cyclones more to come," it said. — RSJ, GMA News