Typhoon “Usagi”, locally named “Odette”, exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) yesterday, but will continue to affect the southwest monsoon.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) downgraded the rainfall alert over Metro Manila and surrounding areas noontime today, from “orange” to “yellow”.
The “yellow” alert level indicates a rainfall average of 7.5 to 15mm per hour where flooding may be possible, and only monitoring is required, as opposed to increased alert for possible evacuation on “orange”.
According to PAGASA, cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rainfall and thunderstorms will be experienced by Metro Manila, and Regions III (Central Luzon), IV-A (Calabarzon) , and IV-B (Mimaropa).
The weather agency has issued a warning on possible landslides and flash floods over those regions.
Regions V (Bicol) and VI (Western Visayas) will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rainfall an thunderstorms.
The remainder of the country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers.
Heavy rainfall from the storm has resulted in landslides over Zambales province in Region III, causing 25 casualties.
The provinces of Ilocos Norte and Cavite, and the municipality of Subic in Zambales have all declared a state of calamity, enabling access to disaster and emergency funding.
Subic Mayor Jun Khonghun said in a televised interview that roads in the municipality are impassable due to floods, and speedboats were the primary modes of transportation.
He has appealed for help from the national government.
Moonsoon rains are also being affected by incoming typhoon “Pabuk”, but PAGASA does not expect it to enter the PAR.
“Usagi” has caused cancellation of flights to and from Manila, as well as suspension of classes.
The storm has made landfall in mainland China, killing 25 in the city of Guandong.
(with reports from philstar.com, inquirer.net. and abs-cbnnews.com)