Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 27) — A low pressure area (LPA) spotted east of Surigao del Norte on Tuesday afternoon can trigger flash floods and landslides in various parts of the country, the state weather bureau said.
As of 3 p.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) estimated the LPA to be located 735 kilometers east of Surigao City.
It warned this could bring moderate to at times heavy rains in Palawan, Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and Davao region, adding that flash floods and landslides are possible.
Meanwhile, the weather bureau said the northeast monsoon or amihan season may also bring rains in Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, Aurora, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, and Bicol Region.
PAGASA said flash floods or landslides may likewise occur in areas affected by the northeast monsoon, as well as by localized thunderstorms in the rest of the country.
Just over the Christmas weekend, torrential rains hit parts of the Visayas and Mindanao, with disaster response officials counting 13 deaths so far, although 11 of these have yet to be validated.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council also said as of Tuesday morning, 23 people were reported missing and six others injured in the affected regions, namely Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Northern Mindanao.
