TROPICAL Depression Vicky is now traversing Monkayo, Davao de Oro after it made landfall in the vicinity of Baganga, Davao Oriental at 2 p.m. Friday, December 18.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Vicky has maintained its strength as it moved generally west-northwestward.

As of 4 p.m. Friday, the center of the tropical depression was located in the vicinity of Monkayo, Davao de Oro, still packing maximum winds of 45 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center and gusts of up to 75 km/h.

Vicky was moving west northwestward at 15 km/h and is likely to emerge over the Bohol Sea, pass close Siquijor or Misamis Occidental, and pass close or make another landfall over the southern portion of Negros Island by Saturday morning, December 19, said Pagasa.

The tropical depression is likely to emerge over the Sulu Sea Saturday morning or afternoon, and will remain a tropical depression while crossing the Philippine archipelago, it added.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) Number 1 has been hoisted over:

Luzon

The northern and central portion of Palawan (Puerto Princesa City, Roxas, San Vicente, Dumaran, Araceli, Taytay, El Nido) including Calamian, Cuyo, and Cagayancillo Islands

Visayas

The southern portion of Leyte (Baybay City, Javier, Abuyog, Mahaplag, Inopacan, Hindang, Hilongos, Bato, Matalom, Palompon, Merida, Isabel), Southern Leyte, the central and southern portions of Cebu (Borbon, Tabuelan, Tuburan, Sogod, Catmon, Carmen, Asturias, Danao City, Compostela, Liloan, Consolacion, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Cordoba, Balamban, Cebu City, Talisay City, Toledo City, Minglanilla, Naga City, Pinamungahan, San Fernando, Aloguinsan, Carcar, Barili, Sibonga, Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal, Argao, Dalaguete, Badian, Alegria, Alcoy, Boljoon, Oslob, Malabuyoc, Ginatilan, Samboan, Santander) including Camotes Islands, Bohol, Siquijor, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, the central and southern portions of Iloilo (Ajuy, Barotac Viejo, San Enrique, San Rafael, Passi City, Bingawan, Calinog, Lambunao, Janiuay, Banate, Anilao, Dingle, Duenas, Badiangan, Barotac Nuevo, Zarraga, Pototan, Dumangas, Mina, New Lucena, Santa Barbara, Leganes, Iloilo City, Pavia, Cabatuan, Maasin, Alimodian, San Miguel, Leon, Oton, Tigbauan, Tubungan, Guimbal, Igbaras, Miagao, San Joaquin), and the southern portion of Antique (Valderrama, San Remigio, Sibalom, Hamtic, Tobias Fornier, Anini-Y, Bugasong, Laua-An, Patnongon, San Jose, Belison)

Mindanao

Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro, Davao City, the northern portion of Davao del Sur (Santa Cruz, Digos City, Bansalan, Magsaysay, Matanao, Hagonoy), Camiguin, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Cotabato City, North Cotabato, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, and the northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte (Baliguian, Gutalac, Kalawit, Labason, Tampilisan, Liloy, Salug, Bacungan, Godod, Sindangan, Siayan, Jose Dalman, Manukan, Sergio Osmena Sr., Pres. Manuel A. Roxas, Katipunan, Dipolog City, Polanco, Pinan, Mutia, La Libertad, Dapitan City, Sibutad, Rizal)

Pagasa said these areas will have strong breeze to near gale conditions during the passage of the tropical cyclone.

The combined effects of Vicky and the tail-end of a frontal system will also bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Caraga, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Southern Leyte, Leyte, and Bohol, and light to moderate with at times heavy rains over Bicol Region, Mimaropa, Calabarzon, Lanao del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, and the rest of Visayas, Davao Region, and Northern Mindanao, said the weather bureau.

On Saturday, moderate to heavy with at times intense rains will be experienced over Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Quezon, and the northern portion of Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo Islands and light to moderate with at times heavy rains over mainland Cagayan Valley, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, and the rest of Calabarzon, Mimaropa and Visayas.

Pagasa also warned against flooding (including flash floods) and rain-induced landslides during heavy or prolonged periods of rainfall, especially in areas identified to be highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards and in localities that received significant antecedent rainfall over the past couple of days or weeks.

"Adjacent or nearby areas may also experience flooding in the absence of such rainfall occurrence due to surface runoff or swelling of river channels," it said in its 5 p.m. Friday advisory.

Pagasa also said that the combined effects of the surge of the Northeast Monsoon and the tropical depression will bring rough to very rough seas over the entire seaboards of northern Luzon, the seaboard of Aurora, the eastern seaboard of Quezon including Polillo Islands, the seaboard of Camarines Norte, the northern seaboard of Camarines Sur, the northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes, the eastern seaboard of Albay including Rapu-Rapu Islands, the eastern seaboard of Sorsogon, the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar, and the eastern seaboard of Eastern Samar including Homonhon Island.

Moderate to rough seas will be experienced over the coastal waters of areas under TCWS 1 and sea travel is risky over these waters especially for small sea vessels, it added. (Laureen Mondoñedo-Ynot)