THE Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has reported that Severe Tropical Storm "Hanna" has intensified into a typhoon while moving west northwest at 10 kilometers per hour.
As of 5 a.m. Wednesday, August 7, 2019, the center of Hanna was located at 625 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 150 kph.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal Number 1 was raised over Batanes and Babuyan Group of Islands.
Pagasa said moderate to heavy rainfall will be experienced in Oriental Mindoro and Pangasinan, particularly in the towns of Agno, Bolinao and Bani, while Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Zambales, and Bataan will experience moderate to heavy monsoon rains.
Cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms will be experienced over Cagayan Valley and Cordillera Administrative Region, Metro Manila, Central Visayas, and the rest of Luzon, Eastern Visayas and Mindanao, it added.
Aside from Hanna, Pagasa is also monitoring two weather systems: a low pressure area (LPA) west of northern Luzon and Severe Tropical Storm "Krosa."
Pagasa said that as of 10 a.m. Wednesday, August 7, the LPA was estimated at 325 kilometers west of Dagupan City, Pangasinan.
"This weather disturbance remains less likely to develop into a tropical depression within 24 hours," it said in an advisory.
Severe Tropical Storm Krosa, on the other hand, is not expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility. It was located at 2,055 kilometers east of extreme northern Luzon, with maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h near the center and gusts of up to 115 km/h.
Krosa is moving north northwest at 15 km/h, said the weather bureau.
Pagasa has advised residents living near areas prone to flashfloods and landslides to take precautionary measures and keep monitoring for updates.
Fisherfolk and those with small seacrafts were also advised not to venture out in areas under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Number 1 or near the coastlines of Luzon and Visayas, and the northern and eastern seaboards of Mindanao due to potentially rough sea conditions. (EZN/SunStar Philippines)