Satellite image of Tropical Depression Falcon, the sixth tropical cyclone to enter the Philippine area of responsibility this year. (Image from PAGASA website)
MANILA, Philippines - The low pressure area (LPA) near Visayas has strengthened into a tropical depression, the state weather bureau said today.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that the LPA turned into a tropical depression before noon today. The sixth storm to enter the country this year has been named Falcon.
As of 10 a.m., the storm's location was 670 kilometers east of Borongan, Eastern Samar. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour.
The storm was moving west northwest at a speed of 19 kph.
PAGASA said that the storm may move up near Bicol region by Wednesday morning and then to Aurora area by Thursday. The storm was forecast to exit through Batanes by Friday morning.
The weather bureau said that Falcon and the tail end of tropical depression Egay will bring occasional rains over the country, becoming widespread over the western section of Luzon.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported today that Egay left one dead and two missing.
The NDRRMC also reported that 12 people have been confirmed killed and least one million people have been affected by the widespread flooding in several provinces in Mindanao due to continuous rains over the region in the past several days.
The NDRRMC said all of its units in the country, particularly those in Luzon and Visayas, have been alerted against Falcon.
It advised local disaster risk reduction centers to take the initiative of implementing pre-emptive evacuations of families living in low-lying areas, near mountain slopes and those living along coastlines in provinces that are expected to be affected by the new storm.
By Angelo L. Gutierrez, The Philippine Star
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