THE National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Tuesday placed its operations center on alert status in anticipation of the effects of Tropical Depression "Ester."
The NDRRMC chief Executive Director Alexander Pama said they will "continue to monitor and disseminate weather bulletins and forecasts to concerned agencies" such as the local government units of the areas affected by the weather disturbance.
Pama also directed the NDRRMC regional offices to undertake precautionary measures in their respective areas of responsibility.
According to the latest weather update of Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the center the tropical depression was estimated at 200 kilometer (km) north northeast of Basco, Batanes, maintaining its maximum winds at 55 kilometer per hour (kph) near the center.
It is forecast to move northeast at 22 kph.
Pagasa said the Batanes group of islands, which was earlier put under public warning signal number 1 (PWS) will experience rains with gusty winds with moderate to rough seas while the Calayan and Babuyan group of islands, the Ilocos, Cordillera, Central luzon and Metro Manila regions will have monsoon rains.
"The rest of Luzon will have occasional rains. The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms," said Pagasa.
"Moderate to strong winds coming from the southwest will prevail over Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to rough. Light to moderate winds coming from the southwest will prevail over Visayas and from the south to southwest over Mindanao with slight to moderate seas," it added.
However, Pagasa said that Tropical Depression Ester is not expected to make landfall in any part of the country and if it maintains its speed, it is expected to be out the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Wednesday.
Pagasa advised residents living in low lying and mountainous areas under public storm warning number 1 to be alert against possible flashfloods and landslides.
The estimated rainfall amount is from 5 -15 millimeters per hour (moderate - heavy) within the 250 km diameter of the tropical depression.
"Small fishing vessels are advised not to venture out into the northern and western seaboards of Luzon," said Pagasa.
Tropical Depression Ester is the first cyclone for the month of June and the fifth for this year.
Pagasa said the country might experience two to three tropical cyclones this month. (Sunnex)