The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Monday, Aug. 22 said the southwest monsoon or “habagat” enhanced by tropical storm Florita may bring rains over the western sections of southern Luzon and Visayas in the next 24 hours.
In its 11 a.m. weather advisory, PAGASA said “moderate to heavy with at times intense rains” may prevail over Quezon, Eastern Samar, Samar, Northern Samar, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, Bicol Region, and Western Visayas.
Meanwhile, “light to moderate with at times heavy rains” may affect Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and the rest of Visayas.
“Under these conditions, scattered flooding and rain-induced landslides are likely, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps and in areas with significant antecedent rainfall,” PAGASA warned.
Florita has intensified into a tropical storm at around 8 a.m., Monday.
In its 11 a.m. tropical cyclone bulletin, PAGASA said Florita was last spotted 215 kilometers (km) east of Casiguran, Aurora.
It was packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.