TD ‘Agaton’ heads for Palawan for 6th landfall

Tropical depression “Agaton” continued to move west to Palawan on Tuesday afternoon (January 2) as it is expected to make its sixth landfall there, the state weather bureau said. (Photo by Marco Verch/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)

MANILA — Tropical depression “Agaton” continued to move west to Palawan on Tuesday afternoon (January 2) as it is expected to make its sixth landfall there, the state weather bureau said.

In a bulletin issued 2 p.m. Tuesday, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Agaton was spotted 265 kilometers west of Dumaguete, Negros Oriental or 245 kilometers east southeast of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, packing maximum winds of 55 kilometers per hour (km/h) and gustiness of up to 65 km/h.

Tropical Cylone Warning Signal No. 1 has been raised over Palawan province, including Cuyo Island.

While Palawan is the only area left under signal number 1, PAGASA warned the public of possible flooding and landslides over the area, and urged affected residents to coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices.

Agaton had made landfall in the five areas earlier, including Socorro, Surigao del Norte (1 a.m.); Claver, Surigao del Norte (1:15 a.m.); Jagna, Bohol (4 a.m.); Santander, Cebu (5 a.m.); and Bais City, Negros Oriental (7:30 a.m.).

Meanwhile, Agaton would still dump heavy rains over the Bicol region, Eastern Visayas, Southern Quezon, Panay Island and the rest of Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan (Mimaropa).

PAGASA said sea travel remains risky over Palawan and the seaboards of Northern Luzon and Southern Luzon, eastern seaboard of Central Luzon, eastern and western seaboards of Visayas, and eastern seaboard of Mindanao.