THE Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is monitoring two low pressure areas (LPAs) outside the Philippine area of responsibility.
One of the LPAs, spotted east of Eastern Visayas, may develop into a tropical depression and enter PAR, said PAGASA weather special Aldzar Aurelio.
Aurelio said the LPA was some 1,180 km east of Visayas as of yesterday morning.
“There is possibility it will enter PAR,” said Aurelio, adding PAGASA is also seeing the possibility the LPA will develop into a tropical depression.
On whether it will make landfall, Aurelio said, “It’s still too far to say its going to make landfall.”
The other LPA being monitored by PAGASA was some 490 km north of Palawan also as of yesterday morning, said Aurelio.
He said the LPA is not expected to enter PAR or develop into a tropical depression.
Aurelio said the country will have one to two tropical cyclones this month. If the LPA develops into a tropical depression and enters PAR, it will be named “Chedeng.”
PAGASA on Friday declared the start of the rainy season, and weather forecasters said 11 to 14 tropical cyclones are expected to enter the country until October or November.
The country’s last tropical cyclone was super typhoon “Betty” last month. Betty did not make landfall but affected 104,305 individuals in six regions — Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, and the Cordillera Administration. It left one person dead.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said government has provided over P6 million worth of assistance to 18,570 families or 64,763 persons from 207 barangays in the six regions. The figures were as of 6 p.m. of June 4. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
