Tropical Depression Agaton makes 6th landfall in Palawan

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MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Agaton made its 6th landfall in Aborlan, Palawan at 10:45 pm on Tuesday, January 2.

In a bulletin issued past 11 pm on Tuesday, PAGASA said Agaton is already 40 kilometers south of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, moving west at a relatively fast 30 kilometers per hour (km/h).

The tropical depression maintained its strength, with maximum winds of 55 km/h and gustiness of up to 75 km/h. (READ: EXPLAINER: How tropical cyclones form)

Before making landfall in Aborlan, Palawan, Agaton also hit the following areas on Tuesday:

• Socorro, Surigao del Norte – 1 am
• Claver, Surigao del Norte – 1:15 am
• Jagna, Bohol – 4 am
• Santander, Cebu – 5 am
• Bais City, Negros Oriental – 7:30 am

Signal number 1 remains raised in Palawan.

Aside from Palawan, PAGASA warned residents of Bicol, the Samar provinces, southern Quezon, Panay Island, and the rest of Mimaropa to stay on alert for possible flash floods and landslides. (IN PHOTOS: Flood greets Biliran residents on first day of 2018)

Sea travel remains risky in Palawan, the seaboards of Northern Luzon and Southern Luzon, eastern seaboard of Central Luzon, eastern and western seaboards of the Visayas, and eastern seaboard of Mindanao due to the surge of the northeast monsoon and Agaton.

More than 3,000 passengers had been stranded at various ports, most of them in Northern Mindanao and Central Visayas, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Based on its latest forecast track, Agaton will leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday morning or afternoon, January 3. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

Mindanao is still reeling from Typhoon Vinta (Tembin), which hit land just a few days before Christmas 2017 as a severe tropical storm. It left at least 240 people dead.

Vinta also came on the heels of Tropical Storm Urduja (Kai-tak), which battered  Eastern Visayas and killed 47 people. Urduja also left P2.172 billion in damage to agriculture and infrastructure. – Rappler.com