PAGASA: Northern Luzon may still experience flash floods, landslides in next days

Weather bureau PAGASA on Tuesday warned residents in Northern Luzon for possible flash floods and landslides as the soil in some areas have become saturated due to rainwater brought by Severe Tropical Storm Nika.

Cris Perez from the PAGASA Weather Division said the soil in some areas have become saturated, increasing the risk of flash floods and landslides.

He said Nika had brought a significant amount of rainfall in the region.

“Sa mga kababayan natin sa Northern Luzon, kung nag-uulan na during the last few days, medyo saturated na mga kalupaan. Mas malaki ang tsansa na magkaroon ng flashfloods and landslides sa mga darating na araw dahil andito pa ‘yung epekto ng bagyong si Nika and then paparating na bagyong Ofel,” Perez said at a briefing.

(To our kababayans in Northern Luzon, if there's rain in the last few days, the soil there was already saturated. There's a higher chance of flash floods and landslides in the next few days due to the effect of Nika and the incoming one, Ofel.)

As of 11 a.m., PAGASA said Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 was raised over four areas in Luzon even as Nika is about to exit the Philippine area of responsibility Tuesday afternoon

The state weather bureau said the following areas were under TCWS No.1:

• The northern portion of Ilocos Norte (Sarrat, Piddig, Bangui, Vintar, Burgos, Pagudpud, Bacarra, Adams, Pasuquin, Carasi, San Nicolas, Dumalneg, Laoag City),
• the northern portion of Apayao (Luna, Calanasan),
• the northwestern portion of Cagayan (Abulug, Pamplona, Sanchez-Mira, Santa Praxedes, Claveria),
• and the northwestern portion of Babuyan Islands (Calayan Is., Dalupiri Is., Fuga Is.)

PAGASA said strong winds from 39 to 61 km/h may be expected in these areas within the next 36 hours. Wind impacts may result in minimal to minor threat to life and property, it added. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News