PAGASA: No storm despite rainshower in Metro Manila

The rain that fell on parts of Metro Manila early Wednesday was not due to a cyclone, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said. PAGASA said there was no cyclone in Philippine territory, but noted rain showers and thunderstorms may fall on parts of the country. In its 5 a.m. bulletin, it also said flash floods and landslides loom over Aurora, Quezon, Bicol, Eastern Visayas and Eastern Mindanao. "Eastern and Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over Aurora, Quezon, Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas and Eastern Mindanao which may trigger flashfloods and landslides. The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms," it said. PAGASA also said a shallow low-pressure area (SLPA) off Mindanao was estimated at 200 km east of Mindanao as of 2 a.m. The SLPA is embedded along the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, it said. On the other hand, PAGASA said a wind convergence is affecting the eastern sections of Northern and Central Luzon. Meanwhile, moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast and east will prevail over Luzon and Eastern Visayas and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the east and southeast with slight to moderate seas. Also, PAGASA said strong to gale force winds associated with the surge of northeasterly surface windflow may affect the seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon and the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon. "Fishing boats and other small sea crafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves," it said. — LBG, GMA News