Weather: PAGASA tracks new LPA off Mindanao

State weather forecasters on Sunday afternoon started tracking a new potential cyclone east of Mindanao, even as flash floods and landslides loom over parts of Luzon and Visayas. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the potential cyclone — a low-pressure area — was estimated at 870 km east of Mindanao as of 2 p.m. In its 5 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the LPA was embedded along the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) affecting Luzon and Visayas. PAGASA did not immediately say if the LPA would become a cyclone. Forecasters earlier indicated an LPA may enter Philippine territory and intensify into a cyclone. Should the new LPA become a cyclone while inside Philippine territory, it will be locally codenamed "Ramon." Meanwhile, PAGASA said possible flash floods and landslides loom over the eastern sections of Luzon and Visayas. "Luzon and Visayas will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over the eastern sections which may trigger flashfloods and landslides," it said. It added Mindanao will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms. Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southeast will prevail over Central and Northern Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to rough. Light to moderate winds blowing from the southeast will prevail over the rest of Luzon and coming from the southwest to south over Visayas and Mindanao. The coastal waters along these areas will be slight to moderate. — KBK, GMA News