MANILA, Philippines —Tropical Depression "Neneng" maintained its strength while moving northwestward, enhancing the southwest monsoon that has been dumping rain and causing flooding in Metro Manila and a wide swathe of Luzon over the past few days, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Wednesday.
Pagasa said "Neneng" would "move generally west-northwestward and may pass close or make landfall over the northern coast of Taiwan by Thursday afternoon or evening."
Pagasa, however, stressed that "heavy rainfall and severe winds may still be experienced in localities outside the landfall point and forecast confidence cone."
It said the center of "Neneng" would "remain over the Philippine Sea throughout the forecast period."
Pagasa said the center of "Neneng" was 530 kilometers east-northeast of Itbayat, Batanes as of 10 a.m. and was moving northwestward at 30 kilometers (km) per hour (kph) with maximum sustained winds of 54kph near the center and gustiness reaching 70kph.
"Neneng will remain a tropical depression in the next 36 hours before weakening into a remnant low over or near Taiwan on Friday morning. However, earlier weakening into a remnant low is not ruled out," it said.
"Considering these developments, the public and disaster risk reduction and management offices concerned are advised to take all necessary measures to protect life and property," Pagasa said.
"Persons living in areas identified to be highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards are advised to follow evacuation and other instructions from local officials," it said.
Meanwhile, Pagasa said the southwest monsoon would "bring strong to gale-force gusts over" several places, "especially in coastal and upland areas exposed to winds." For today until Thursday, these included Luzon, the Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and the Davao Region. For Friday, these included most of Luzon, Panay Island, Negros Occidental, Northern Samar, and Davao Oriental.
Pagasa also said that Metro Manila, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Abra, Benguet, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, and Oriental Mindoro will have 50-100mm rainfall that may result in ankle-to-knee deep floods in low-lying areas from Wednesday to Thursday.
Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, and Occidental Mindoro may get 100 to 200 mm of rain or knee-to-chest deep floods in low-lying areas over the next two days.
Meanwhile, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, and Bataan may get 50 to 100 mm of rain from Thursday noon to Friday noon.
“Forecast rainfall may be higher in mountainous and elevated areas. Moreover, impacts in some areas may be worsened by significant antecedent rainfall,” the weather bureau said.
“The public disaster risk reduction and management offices concerned are advised to take all necessary measure to protect life and property. Pagasa Regional Services Divisions may issue Heavy Rainfall Warnings/Thunderstorms Advisories, and other severe weather information specific to their areas of responsibility as appropriate,” it added.
No tropical storm signals have been hoisted as of posting time.
