The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Thursday, July 18, said that posts circulating on social media about a “Yolanda”-like supertyphoon approaching the Philippines are “fake.”
PAGASA Weather Specialist Chenel Dominguez clarified that there is no truth to these alarming claims and urged the public to rely only on verified sources for weather information.
As of Thursday afternoon, PAGASA is actively monitoring a low pressure area (LPA) in the vicinity of Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro.
Dominguez said this weather disturbance is expected to move away from the country’s landmass towards the West Philippine Sea.
However, it may continue to bring scattered to widespread rains and thunderstorms over Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, Batangas, and Western Visayas.
The LPA’s trough or extension may also cause cloudy weather conditions with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms across Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Quezon, Central Luzon, and Bicol Region.
Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon, or “habagat,” may bring scattered rains and thunderstorms to Mindanao and the rest of Visayas.
Under these conditions, Dominguez warned of potential flooding or landslides, especially in areas highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps and areas experiencing significant antecedent rainfall.
Meanwhile, the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy conditions with isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms.
PAGASA also warned the public about severe thunderstorms that could trigger flash floods or landslides.
Dominguez added that PAGASA is monitoring cloud clusters that have formed east of the country.
She said PAGASA continues to watch these developments closely to assess whether they will intensify into an LPA in the coming days.