Tropical Depression Luis may intensify into tropical storm; warnings issued across Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Depression Luis has developed inside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. Luis developed into a tropical depression on Saturday at around 8 p.m. and is expected to be upgraded into a tropical storm today. Based on the latest weather satellite, Luis was located at 285 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora, moving northwestward at 15 kms per hour and packing winds of 55 kph and gusts of 70 kph. Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 was raised over Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, the northern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Garchitorena, Lagonoy, Tinambac and Siruma) and the northern portion of Catanduanes (Pandan, Caramoran, Bagamanoc, Panganiban and Viga). Yellow rainfall warning or 50 to 100 millimeters of rain due to Luis and the southwest monsoon is raised in Metro Manila, La Union, Pangasinan, Benguet, Isabela, Quirino, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas and Rizal till tomorrow afternoon along with Occidental Mindoro only due to the habagat. Orange rainfall warning or 100 to 200 mm of rain is raised in Zambales, Bataan and Occidental Mindoro due to habagat from tomorrow afternoon to Wednesday afternoon. La Union, Pangasinan, Benguet, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal, Batangas and Antique will still be at yellow rainfall warning until Wednesday afternoon due to the habagat. State weather forecasters are also monitoring Typhoon Dolphin, last located 3,120 km east of extreme northern Luzon. As of yesterday afternoon, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) had monitored 397 passengers stranded in five seaports because of Luis. Data provided by the PCG said that as of 4 p.m. yesterday, a total of 397 passengers, truck drivers and cargo helpers were stranded. There were also 50 rolling cargoes and six vessels stranded in ports covered by the PCG districts in Southern Tagalog and Bicol. The PCG station in Northern Quezon also went on heightened alert due to Luis. It issued a Notice to Mariners, suspending sea travel for motorized boats and passenger vessels. PCG Station Sorsogon also went on heightened alert and mobilized its Deployable Response Group units. In a separate post, PCG Northern Cebu said it also activated its DRGs. In its sea travel advisory, PCG District Bicol suspended the sea travel of all watercraft originating from, transiting through, or bound for Catanduanes and the eastern part of Camarines Norte. The Coast Guard added that it is closely monitoring the movement of Luis and assured the public of its readiness to respond to the weather disturbance. Meanwhile, several local government units in Bulacan have suspended classes due to the possible effects of Luis. The cities of Malolos, San Jose del Monte and the town of Calumpit have announced class suspensions, according to Vinson Concepcion of the Philippine Information Agency in Bulacan. Alternative delivery mode of learning will be implemented. Manuel Lukban Jr., provincial disaster risk reduction management officer, said they are still collating the suspension of classes from other LGUs.