MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Agaton (Megi) made its second landfall in Basey, Samar, at 4 pm on Monday, April 11.

Its first landfall was in Calicoan Island in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, at 7:30 am on Sunday, April 10, when it was still a tropical storm.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 5 pm bulletin on Monday that Agaton was almost stationary in the vicinity of Basey. It has been lingering off Eastern Visayas since the past weekend.

The tropical depression maintained its strength late Monday afternoon, with maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 60 km/h.

Since Agaton is hardly moving, it will continue to batter parts of Luzon and the Visayas, as well as Dinagat Islands in Mindanao, for the rest of Monday. Below is PAGASA’s updated rainfall forecast.

Monday, April 11

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• Sorsogon
• Masbate
• Romblon
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• 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

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• Dinagat Islands
• rest of Bicol
• rest of Visayas
• Oriental Mindoro
• Occidental Mindoro
• Marinduque
• Quezon

Tuesday, April 12

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• Eastern Visayas
• Capiz
• Aklan
• Iloilo
• Antique
• northern part of Negros Occidental
• northern part of Negros Oriental
• northern part of Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• rest of Visayas
• Sorsogon
• Masbate
• Romblon

The areas under Signal No. 1 remain unchanged as of 5 pm on Monday. These areas are experiencing strong winds that pose a “minimal to minor threat to life and property”:

• southern part of Masbate (Dimasalang, Palanas, Cataingan, Pio V. Corpuz, Esperanza, Placer, Cawayan)
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Northern Samar
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• northeastern part of Cebu (Daanbantayan, San Remigio, Medellin, Bogo City, Tabogon, Borbon, Sogod, Catmon, Carmen, Danao City, Compostela, Liloan) including Camotes Island
• eastern part of Bohol (Getafe, Talibon, Bien Unido, Trinidad, Ubay, San Miguel, President Carlos P. Garcia, Mabini)
• Surigao del Norte
• Dinagat Islands

From Monday to Tuesday afternoon, April 12, Agaton is expected to slowly make a loop while in the vicinity of the northeastern part of Leyte and the southern parts of Samar and Eastern Samar, essentially starting to move away from land.

Agaton would then emerge over the Philippine Sea by Tuesday evening as it begins to interact with the incoming Severe Tropical Storm Malakas. This interaction may result in Agaton further weakening into a remnant low by Wednesday evening, April 13, as it gets absorbed by Malakas.

But PAGASA said Agaton could also weaken into a remnant low even before it emerges over the Philippine Sea, due to land interaction.

Malakas, meanwhile, was already 1,265 kilometers east of Southern Luzon late Monday afternoon. The severe tropical storm slightly accelerated, moving northwest at 20 km/h from the previous 15 km/h.

It may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Monday evening or early Tuesday morning, and would be given the local name Basyang.

So far, Malakas still has maximum sustained winds of 100 km/h and gustiness of up to 125 km/h. But PAGASA expects Malakas to intensify into a typhoon on Monday evening, then reach a peak intensity of 155 km/h late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

While Malakas or Basyang is likely to influence Agaton’s movement, it is not seen to make landfall and will have no direct effect on weather in the Philippines. It is expected to leave PAR on Tuesday evening or early Wednesday morning.

PAGASA also warned that sea travel would still be risky for the next 24 hours, or until Tuesday.

Rough to very rough seas

Waves 2.8 to 4.5 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