AN EQUIVALENT of 312,000 drums of water were dumped on Metro Cebu during the heavy downpour that flooded certain areas on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2019.
Based on records of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Mactan, 62.4 millimeters of rain fell from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 3.
For the first 12 hours, 57.8 millimeters of rain fell, said Al Quiblat, officer-in-charge of Pagasa Visayas.
The standard conversion is 1 millimeter is equivalent to 5,000 drums per square kilometer lot area.
The rainfall was due to a trough or extension of tropical depression Liwayway.
In the latest update on Monday, Sept. 2, Liwayway was 265 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes, heading north.
Quiblat said that since the strength of Liwayway intensified, it was upgraded to a tropical storm.
It packed winds of 65 kilometers per hour (km/h) from the previous 55 km/h and gustiness of up to 80 km/h from the previous 70 km/h.
Quiblat said Liwayway is expected to strengthen further into a severe tropical storm and then a typhoon before it leaves the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Friday morning, Sept. 6.
The southwest monsoon is also expected to trigger light to heavy rains in some areas, but not as bad as last Sunday’s downpour, Quiblat said.
The average rainfall in Cebu for the month of September is 192 millimeters.
According to the weather bureau, two more weather disturbances are expected this month.
Quiblat said Cebu can look forward to fair weather starting on Tuesday, Sept. 3. FROM HBL OF SUPERBALITA CEBU / PJB