Monsoon dumping rains across country

Metro Manila, Philippines - Severe Tropical Storm Crising moved farther away from the country on Saturday morning, July 19, but the southwest monsoon will still bring rains, the weather bureau said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said ‘Crising’ was far beyond the weather monitoring zone at 10 a.m. It may furtherintensify into a typhoon on Sunday, July 20, as it approaches Hong Kong.

In its 5 p.m. bulletin, the weather bureau said the monsoon will cause rains and strong gusts across Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Cordillera, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Visayas, and Zamboanga del Norte until Sunday, July 20.

The weather bureau has lifted all storm alerts. It also ruled out threats of storm surge in coastal areas.

As of 5 p.m., “Crising” packs center winds of 100 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 125 kph. It is moving west northwestward at 20 kph.