PAGASA: Potential cyclone nears Quezon province

A potential cyclone moved closer to Quezon province early Sunday even as flash floods and landslides loom over eastern Luzon, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said. PAGASA said the potential cyclone, a shallow low-pressure area (SLPA), was estimated at 50 km east-southeast of Infanta, Quezon as of 2 a.m., embedded along the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting the country. "The whole country will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over eastern Luzon which may trigger flashfloods and landslides," it said in its 5 a.m. bulletin. PAGASA did not say if the SLPA would intensify into a cyclone. If it becomes a cyclone while in Philippine territory, it would be codenamed "Sendong." Earlier, Science Undersecretary Graciano Yumul Jr. indicated the weather disturbance may become a cyclone but only after it exits Philippine territory. Meanwhile, PAGASA said moderate to strong winds blowing from the east will prevail over Luzon and coming from the southwest to southeast over Eastern Visayas and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. Also, PAGASA said strong to gale-force winds associated with the surge of northeasterly surface windflow may affect the northern seaboard of northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Luzon and the Visayas. It advised fishing boats and other small sea craft not to venture out into the sea, and larger sea vessels to be alert against big waves. — LBG, GMA News