‘Amang’ maintains strength as it traverses Camarines Sur

TROPICAL Depression “Amang” has maintained its strength as it traversed Camarines Sur in Luzon Wednesday night, April 12, 2023, said the state weather bureau.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Amang was forecast to weaken into a low pressure area by Thursday, April 13, “due to the combined effects of land interaction, dry air intrusion, and increasing vertical wind shear.”

As of 7 p.m. Wednesday, the center of Amang was located over the coastal waters of Sipocot, Camarines Sur, with maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center, gusts of up to 55 km/h, and central pressure of 1004 hPa.

The tropical depression was moving northwestward slowly, said Pagasa.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal Number 1 has remained hoisted over Catanduanes, Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Laguna (Cavinti, Lumban, Kalayaan, Paete, Pakil, Pangil, Siniloan, Famy, Santa Maria, Mabitac), Aurora, Quezon (Buenavista, Calauag, Infanta, Lopez, Guinayangan, Plaridel, Quezon, Alabat, Sampaloc, Mauban, General Nakar, Perez, Gumaca, Atimonan, Real, Tagkawayan, San Narciso) including Polillo Islands, Rizal (Tanay, Pililla, Rodriguez, Baras, City of Antipolo), Bulacan (Norzagaray, Doña Remedios Trinidad) and Nueva Ecija (Gabaldon, Bongabon, Laur, General Tinio) in Luzon.

These areas may experience strong winds (strong breeze to near gale strength) associated with the tropical depression that may cause minimal to minor impacts to life and property, said the weather bureau.

It added that for the next 24 hours, heavy rainfall (50-100 millimeters) will be experienced in Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Quezon, while there will be heavy rainfall for the next three days in Calabarzon, Metro Manila, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and the southern portion of Aurora.

The public has been advised to watch out for possible landslides and flooding.

Pagasa said that Amang was forecast to track generally northwestward in the next 24 hours and may continue to traverse over the eastern localities of Camarines Sur before passing the eastern coast of Camarines Norte and Quezon (with the possibility of passing near or over Polillo Islands).

“Considering the weak and disorganized nature of this depression, considerable changes in the track forecast of succeeding bulletins are not ruled out,” it said. (LMY)