Egay may intensify into a 'super typhoon' in coming days —PAGASA

Tropical Depression Egay may reach super typhoon category in the coming days, state weather bureau PAGASA said on Friday.

“Throughout its duration in the PAR (Philippine Area of Responsibility) region, it may continue to steadily intensify and reach the Super Typhoon category by late Monday or early Tuesday as it moves over the Philippine Sea east of Luzon,” said PAGASA in it's 11 am advisory. 

Meanwhile, PAGASA said Egay is expected to intensify into a tropical storm in the next 12 hours. 

At 10 a.m., Egay was located 900 km East of Southeastern Luzon packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 70 km/h.

Egay’s strong winds extend outwards up to 550 km from the center.

The tropical depression was moving slowly north-northwestward.

From Sunday morning to Monday, an accumulated rainfall of  50-100 mm are expected over Catanduanes and Northern Samar.

In areas that will not be directly affected by Egay, PAGASA said monsoon rains from the enhanced Southwest Monsoon are possible over the western sections of MIMAROPA and Visayas on Sunday.

PAGASA warned of possible flooding and rain-induced landslides, especially in areas that are prone to such hazards and those areas that experienced considerable amounts of rainfall for the past several days.

Egay may bring moderate to rough seas up to 3.5 meters over the eastern seaboards of Southern Luzon and Eastern Visayas.

PAGASA advised mariners of small seacrafts to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea. If inexperienced or operating ill-equipped vessels, they should avoid navigating in these conditions

Due to the enhanced Southwest Monsoon, strong breeze to near gale conditions with intermittent gusts are expected over Mimaropa, Western Visayas, and western portions of Mindanao starting Saturday.

On Monday and Tuesday, monsoon rains are likely over the western sections of Southern Luzon and Western Visayas, it added.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals may be raised in some areas of Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas (especially in the eastern portion) Saturday evening or early Sunday.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), meanwhile, issued a lahar advisory for Mayon Volcano amid the threat of Egay. 

“The incoming tropical depression is expected to bring about prolonged and heavy rainfall which may generate syn-eruption lahars along major channels draining the Mayon Volcano edifice by incorporating loose material from thick pyroclastic density current (PDC) deposits and ashfall from the ongoing 2023 eruption,” PHIVOLCS said. —Joviland Rita/ VAL, GMA Integrated News