Ofel makes 5th landfall, moderate rains forecast over parts of southern Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao

Tropical Depression Ofel has crossed the Tayabas Bay is now in the vicinity of Batangas province, PAGASA reported in the 2 a.m. Severe Weather Bulletin.

The center of Tropical Depression Ofel made its fifth landfall over San Juan, Batangas at 11 p.m. on Wednesday.

The previous landfall points were: Can-avid, Eastern Samar (2:30 AM, 14 October), Matnog, Sorsogon (6:00 AM, 14 October), Burias Island, Masbate (12:00 PM, 14 October), and Torrijos, Marinduque (7:45 PM, 14 October).

Ofel will move west-northwestward over Batangas in the next 6 hours and emerge over the West Philippine Sea on Thursday moning.

On the forecast track, the tropical depression will likely exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday morning or afternoon and move generally westward towards the central portion of Vietnam.

Ofel will likely remain a tropical depression in the next 24 hours. However, this weather disturbance may intensify into a tropical storm while over the West Philippine Sea.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 is raised of the following areas:

• Batangas
• Laguna
• Cavite
• Rizal
• Quezon
• Metro Manila
• Bataan
• Occidental Mindoro
• Oriental Mindoro
• Marinduque

On Thursday, moderate to heavy rains will be experienced over Aurora, Bulacan, and the northern portion of Quezon.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains over Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Benguet, Pangasinan, the rest of Central Luzon, Metro Manila, the rest of CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Sulu Archipelago.

Flooding, including flashfloods, and rain-induced landslides may occur during heavy or prolonged rainfall especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards.

Strong- to near gale-force winds will be experienced in areas under TCWS No. 1 during the passage of the tropical depression.

Occasional gusts associated with the northeasterly surface wind flow may be experienced over Extreme Northern Luzon, Aurora, and the coastal and mountainous areas of mainland Northern Luzon.

A Gale warning is in effect over the entire seaboard of Northern Luzon and the seaboard of Aurora due to rough to very rough seas associated with the northeasterly surface wind flow.

Sea travel is risky over these areas, especially for those using small seacrafts. Moderate to rough seas due to Ofel will be experienced over the seaboards of areas where TCWS No. 1 is in effect. Those with small seacrafts are advised not to venture out to sea over these areas.

As of 1 a.m. on Thursday, the center of Tropical Depression Ofel was estimated in the vicinity of Lobo, Batangas with maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kph moving in the west northwest direction at a speed of 20 kph.