Flood, landslide risk looms amid heavy rains

QUEZON — The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned Saturday of possible flash floods and landslides in Quezon province and parts of MIMAROPA as a shear line and easterlies continued to bring rain across Southern Luzon.

In its 4 a.m. weather bulletin, PAGASA said Quezon, Aurora and Camarines Norte would experience cloudy skies with scattered to widespread rains and thunderstorms due to the shear line.

Marinduque and Romblon, meanwhile, were forecast to experience similar weather conditions due to the easterlies, with moderate to occasionally heavy rainfall that could trigger flooding and landslides in vulnerable communities.

The rest of CALABARZON, including Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Rizal, as well as other areas of MIMAROPA, may experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

PAGASA also reported that a tropical depression remained outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility as of 3 a.m.

The weather disturbance was located approximately 2,540 kilometers east of Northern Luzon, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gusts reaching 70 kph.

It was moving west-northwestward at 30 kph.

Meanwhile, coastal waters across the rest of Luzon were expected to be slight to moderate, with wave heights ranging from 0.6 to 2.5 meters.

Northern Luzon, however, could experience moderate to rough seas, with waves reaching 3.7 meters.

Residents in flood-prone and landslide-susceptible communities were advised to monitor official weather bulletins and remain alert for possible weather-related emergencies.