TROPICAL depression “Amang” has made three landfalls since Tuesday night and may soon weaken into a low pressure area (LPA), the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration (PAGASA).
In PAGASA’s bulletin issued at 5 p.m. yesterday, 11 areas (from 20 on Tuesday) were under Signal No. 1. These are Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Laguna, Aurora, Quezon including Polillo Islands, Rizal, Bulacan, and Nueva Ecija.
As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Amang, the country’s first tropical cyclone this year, was in the vicinity of Lagonoy, Camarines Sur. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kph. It is was slowly moving northwestward.
It was in Lagonoy where it made the third landfall, at around 3 p.m. yesterday, PAGASA said. The first was in Panganiban, Catanduanes at around 10 p.m. Tuesday and the second in Presentacion, Camarines Sur at around 1 p.m yesterday.
PAGASA weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said Amang may make another landfall in Polillo Island in Quezon today when it is also forecast to weaken into an LPA.
PAGASA said Amang is forecast to track generally northwestward in the next 24 hours, from 5 p.m. yesterday, and traverse eastern portions of Camarines Sur before passing the eastern coast of the Camarines provinces and Quezon.
“The tropical depression is forecast to weaken into a low pressure area by tomorrow, possibly earlier, due to the combined effects of land interaction, dry air intrusion, and increasing vertical wind shear,” PAGASA said.
PAGASA said Bicol region and the provinces of Laguna, Quezon, Rizal, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and Aurora will experience rains with gusty winds while Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley, rest of Central Luzon, rest of Calabarzon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Aklan, Capiz, and Antique will have partly cloudy skies with isolated rain showers and thunderstorms due to Amang.
The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to Amang and localized thunderstorms.
At the “Laging Handa” public briefing, Office of Civil Defense-Joint Monitoring Center chief Diego Mariano said agencies have made preparations for the possible effects of Amang.
“All our assets, manpower and relief items have been prepositioned. They are well prepared in case they are needed,” said Mariano.
Mariano said they have yet to receive reports about individuals who evacuated due to Amang.
Gremil Alexis Naz, spokesman of OCD-Bicol, said some areas in the region experienced moderate to heavy rains. He said they have received initial reports about flooded areas but said these were being verified.
He also said some 1,500 passengers were stranded in various ports in the region.
