The Low Pressure Area (LPA) hovering over Luzon has intensified into a tropical depression, PAGASA said on Tuesday.
Tropical depression ‘Ester’ was spotted 120 kilometers north of Basco, Batanes as of 10 a.m. It is the fifth tropical cyclone in the country this year.
Due to the tropical depression, Batanes, Calayan, and Babuyan groups of islands have been placed under signal no. 1.
These areas should expect 30 to 60 kilometers per hour (kph) winds within the next 36 hours.
PAGASA said ‘Ester’ was packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gusts of up to 80 kph.
Ester is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon (habagat). This interaction will trigger moderate to heavy rains over Ilocos Region and the provinces of Zambales and Bataan.
Ester was moving northeast at 20 kph. It is expected to be 540 kms northeast of Basco, Batanes on Wednesday morning, and outside the Philippine area of responsibility on Thursday morning.
An estimated rainfall of 5–15 mm per hour is expected within Ester’s 250-km diameter.
Those living in low-lying and mountainous areas under signal no. 1 are warned against possible flash floods and landslides.
