Metro Manila, Philippines – Tropical Depression Pilandok is enhancing the southwest monsoon, or Habagat, which is expected to bring heavy rainfall to parts of Luzon through Monday afternoon, PAGASA said on Sunday, Aug. 30.
According to the state weather bureau, 100 to 200 millimeters of rainfall may affect Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, La Union, Abra, Benguet, Bataan, Zambales, Tarlac, and Pampanga through Monday afternoon.
Meanwhile, 50 to 100 millimeters of rainfall may be experienced in Metro Manila, Apayao, Kalinga, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Occidental Mindoro.
Pilandok maintained its strength on Sunday as it slowly moved northwestward over the sea east of extreme northern Luzon.
As of 4 p.m., the tropical depression was located about 1,180 kilometers east of extreme northern Luzon, packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 55 kph.
PAGASA said Pilandok is forecast to move west-northwestward on Monday and is unlikely to make landfall in the Philippines.
It is expected to weaken into a low-pressure area over the Philippine Sea south of Japan on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a low-pressure area west of the country and outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) has a medium chance of developing into a tropical depression.
Recent rains affect over 8M people
The combined effects of Tropical Cyclones Luis, Maymay, and Neneng and the intensified southwest monsoon have affected about 8.1 million people, or 2.3 million families, across 10 regions, according to the latest NDRRMC data as of Sunday.
The NDRRMC recorded 32 deaths, 19 injuries, and three people missing, while around 43,500 people from 13,500 families remained in 523 evacuation centers.
Infrastructure damage has reached ₱6.16 billion, while agricultural losses stood at ₱2.32 billion.
A total of 117 local government units have declared a state of calamity, while government agencies have provided ₱1.69 billion worth of assistance.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development said it has distributed more than 2.3 million family food packs to communities affected by the recent storms and Habagat, along with 14,896 non-food items and 23,694 ready-to-eat food boxes.
The agency said it is continuing to replenish its relief supplies and has called for volunteers to help prepare family food packs at its disaster resource centers in Pasay City and Mandaue City, Cebu.
