TROPICAL Depression Ramon has slowed down while moving west, said the state weather bureau.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagsa) said that as of 4 p.m. Tuesday, November 12, the center of Ramon was estimated at 670 kilometers east of Borongan City, Eastern Samar.

Ramon has maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near its center and gusts of up to 70 kph.

Pagasa said that on Wednesday, November 13, light to moderate with occasional heavy rains may be experienced over Bicol Region, Northern Samar, Samar and Eastern Samar, and light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains over Romblon, Marinduque, and southern Quezon.

On Thursday, November 14, light to moderate with occasional heavy rains may be experienced over Isabela, Aurora, Quirino, northern Quezon including Polillo Islands and Camarines Norte, while light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains may be experienced over Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya, Romblon, Marinduque and the rest of Bicol Region and Quezon.

Pagasa has warned residents living in flood-prone or landslide-prone areas to take precautionary measures, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and continue monitoring for updates.

It said sea travel is risky, especially for small seacrafts, over the seaboards of areas under TCWS, as well as the seaboards of northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Central Luzon, southern Luzon and Visayas due to prevailing or forecast rough sea conditions.

Cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms will be experienced over Visayas, Bicol Region, and the provinces of Quezon, Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Surigao del Norte, and Dinagat.

Manila and the rest of Luzon will experience cloudy skies with light rains, while the rest of Mindanao will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers.

Pagasa said the tropical depression is forecast to intensify into a tropical storm within 48 hours. (EZN/SunStar Philippines)