Flooding alert up as ‘habagat’ to bring heavy rains across Cebu, Visayas

Local

IT’S looking like a rainy weekend in Cebu.

The southwest monsoon, locally known as the habagat, is expected to intensify heavy rainfall over the region, the state weather bureau said.

As a result, residents across Cebu and the rest of the Visayas are being told to prepare for flooding as the southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat, is expected to intensify heavy rainfall over the region.

Between Thursday, July 23 and Friday, July 23, the habagat will bring heavy rainfall and potential floods in Central Visayas, the Negros Island, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration in Mactan (Pagasa-Mactan) reported.

Among the impacts Cebuanos should watch out for are flooding in low-lying or poorly drained areas, along with possible slight to moderate damage to makeshift houses and buildings built with light materials.

To recall, most parts of Cebu had been experiencing moderate to heavy rains due to localized thunderstorms.

In the meantime, state meteorologists are also monitoring a low-pressure area (LPA) located approximately 1,015 kilometers east of Southeastern Luzon.

While it remains outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), it has a high chance of developing into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours, Pagasa said.(RBE)