A LOW pressure area east of Catanduanes intensified into a tropical depression yesterday and may make landfall in Cagayan on Friday or Saturday as a severe tropical storm.
The tropical depression, which was named “Crising,” was some 625 km east of Virac, Catanduanes as of 4 p.m. yesterday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
It was moving west southwestward at 20 kph, packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kph.
PAGASA said Crising is forecast to intensify into a tropical storm this morning “and may reach severe tropical storm category on Friday afternoon or evening, before its approach to northern Luzon.”
“Further intensification up to typhoon category prior to approach is also not ruled out,” added it added.
Chris Perez, PAGASA assistant weather services chief, said Crising may make landfall in mainland Cagayan or Babuyan Islands on Friday night or early morning Saturday.
Perez said the trough of Crising is already affecting some areas in southern Luzon and Eastern Visayas.
“Basically, it’s the northern Luzon area which will be directly affected by Crising this weekend,” he said.
He said Crising is also enhancing the southwest monsoon which will also bring rains to the remaining parts of Luzon and in some parts of the Visayas and Mindanao.
It may exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Saturday afternoon or evening, Perez said.
In a bulletin issued at 5 p.m. yesterday, PAGASA said Crising will move generally westward in the next 12 hours before moving northwestward this afternoon until Friday afternoon.
“It may pass close or make landfall over mainland Cagayan or Babuyan Islands from Friday evening to Saturday early morning. Afterwards, it will move west northwestward and may exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Saturday afternoon or evening,” it added.
Meanwhile, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) identified at least 8,170 barangays in the country as prone to landslides and floods expected from Crising, with 17.2 percent (1,403 barangays) in the National Capital Region.
The MGB’s list of barangays include those in the cities of Manila, Las Pinas, Makati, Muntinlupa, Paranaque, Pasay, Taguig, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Pasig, San Juan, Quezon City, Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela
Also included are Pateros as well as the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Masbate, Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Quezon Province, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Negros Oriental, Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Benguet, Ifugao, Northern Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Samar, Southern Leyte, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Romblon, Lanai del Norte, Miami’s Occidental, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay. – With Jed Macapagal and Jocelyn Reyes
