MANILA, Philippines – Rainfall warnings were still in place for parts of the Visayas late Monday evening, April 11, due to Tropical Depression Agaton (Megi).

The likelihood of Severe Tropical Storm Malakas entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), meanwhile, has decreased, though its potential entry is not yet being ruled out.

Agaton was already in the vicinity of Santa Rita, Samar, slowly moving north northwest, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in a briefing past midnight on Tuesday, April 12.

The tropical depression continues to have maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour, while its gustiness slightly increased from 60 km/h to 70 km/h.

PAGASA warned that rain may persist until Tuesday evening, with most of the affected areas still in the Visayas and Bicol.

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• Eastern Visayas
• northern and central parts of Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands
• Aklan
• Capiz
• Iloilo
• Antique
• Guimaras
• northern and central parts of Negros Occidental
• northern and central parts of Negros Oriental
• Sorsogon
• Masbate

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• rest of Visayas
• rest of Bicol
• Mimaropa
• Quezon
• Dinagat Islands
• Zamboanga del Norte

“Under these conditions and considering significant antecedent rainfall, scattered to widespread flooding and rain-induced landslides are still expected,” the weather bureau said.

Must Read

Tropical Depression Agaton: At least 14 people dead in Baybay, Leyte

In terms of winds, these are the areas left under Signal No. 1 as of 11 pm on Monday:

• southern part of Masbate (Dimasalang, Cawayan, Palanas, Placer, Cataingan, Esperanza, Pio V. Corpuz)
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Northern Samar
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• northeastern part of Cebu (Daanbantayan, Medellin, Bogo City, Tabogon, Borbon, Sogod) including Camotes Island
• Dinagat Islands

Areas under Signal No. 1 are experiencing strong winds that pose a “minimal to minor threat to life and property.”

Agaton made landfall twice, in these areas:

• Calicoan Island, Guiuan, Eastern Samar – 7:30 am on Sunday, April 10 (as a tropical storm)
• Basey, Samar – 4 pm on Monday, April 11 (as a tropical depression)

PAGASA sees Agaton lingering in the Samar-Leyte-Biliran area before turning more east southeast toward the Philippine Sea late Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning, April 13.

The weather bureau also said Agaton is likely to weaken into a remnant low within 36 hours, “due to the combined effects of land interaction, increasing vertical wind shear, and the effects of the upper-level outflow of Severe Tropical Storm Malakas.”

Whatever would be left of Agaton could head east over the Philippine Sea, or away from land, as it gets absorbed within Malakas’ circulation.

As for Malakas, it was last spotted 1,255 kilometers east of Southern Luzon late Monday evening, moving north northwest at 15 km/h. It is expected to maintain this direction for the next 12 hours.

PAGASA noted that there has been a slight eastward shift in Malakas’ track, which means the likelihood of it entering PAR has decreased.

Even if Malakas enters PAR, its stay would only be brief, and it could exit by Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning. Its local name would be Basyang.

As of late Monday evening, Malakas still had maximum sustained winds of 100 km/h and gustiness of up to 125 km/h. It is still likely to intensify into a typhoon, but PAGASA now expects this by Tuesday evening. Malakas is also projected to reach a peak intensity of 150 km/h by Wednesday evening.

Malakas will have no direct effect on weather in the Philippines, even if it briefly enters PAR. But the weather bureau warned that swells triggered by the severe tropical storm could cause moderate to rough seas in the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon and the eastern seaboards of the Visayas and Mindanao. Such conditions could be risky for small vessels.

Sea travel remains dangerous on Tuesday due to Agaton.

Rough seas

Waves 2.8 to 4 meters high; conditions risky for most vessels

• seaboards of areas under Signal No. 1

Moderate to rough seas

Waves 1.2 to 3.4 meters high; conditions risky for small vessels

• remaining seaboards of the Philippines

– Rappler.com