MANILA -- Tropical Depression "Ester" slowed down Saturday morning as it continues to move west northwest of the country at 11 kilometers per hour, the state weather bureau said.
In its latest bulletin, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Ester was spotted at 11 a.m. Saturday at 160 kilometers southeast of Basco, Batanes.
Although it slowed down, it still remains a threat to the extreme northern Luzon region, as it is still packing maximum winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center.
With that, 10 provinces are still under storm warning signal number 1. These include Cagayan, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Northern Isabela, Batanes, Babuyan, and Calayan Island.
The tropical depression is expected to be at 110 kilometers west of Basco, Batanes on Sunday morning, and 340 kilometers west northwest of the province on Monday morning.
Pagasa warned those who are living in low lying and mountainous areas under signal number 1 and areas over the western sections of Central and Southern Luzon and Western Visayas against possible flashfloods and landslides. (Sunnex)