TROPICAL depression "Florita" has maintained its strength as it continued to move northwest early Saturday, the state weather bureau said.
In its 5 a.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the weather disturbance was at 430 kilometers west of Baguio City as of 4 a.m. Saturday.
Florita has maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center. It is forecast to move northwest at 11 kph, Pagasa said.
The weather disturbance is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon that will bring rains and occasional strong winds over the western section of Luzon and Visayas.
"The Western section of Luzon, the whole of Visayas and Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming widespread rains over Eastern Mindanao which may trigger flashfloods and landslides. The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms," it added.
The public and the disaster coordinating councils concerned are advised to take appropriate actions.
"Fishing boats and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves," Pagasa said. (Sunnex)