InterAksyon.com
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MANILA, Philippines - (UPDATED: AUGUST 20, 12:04 AM) Tropical depression "Igme" has intensified further and is now a tropical storm, PAGASA said Sunday afternoon.
In its 5 p.m. update, PAGASA said "Igme" remained "almost stationary" in the last six hours and was last tracked at 315 kilometers east southeast of Aparri, Cagayan.
Storm signal number 1 remains hoisted over the provinces of Isabela and Cagayan.
PAGASA said "Igme" packs maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It is moving north slowly.
"Igme" is expected to be 320 km east southeast of Aparri, Cagayan by Monday afternoon.
PAGASA said "Igme" will enhance the southwest monsoon and bring rains over Benguet, Baguio, Pangasinan, La Union, IIocos region and the western portion of Central and Southern Luzon.
Storm signals, warning vs sailing
Earlier Sunday, PAGASA said the weather disturbance off Northern Luzon had developed into a tropical depression and was named "Igme."
In its 11 a.m. bulletin, the state weather bureau raised storm signal number 1 over the provinces of Isabela and Cagayan and warned of moderate to heavy rains in areas within the tropical depression's 400 kilometer diameter."Igme" was last located at 280 kilometers east southeast of Aparri, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center.
"Igme" is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat and bring rains over the western part of Central and Southern Luzon.
Pagasa warned fishing boats and other small seacrafts not to go out to sea particularly in the eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon.
Sunday evening update
By 11 p.m. Sunday, PAGASA said storm signal number 1 is still raised over Isabela and Cagayan. "Igme" was last estimated at 315 km east southeast of Aparri, Cagayan now with maximum sustained winds of 75 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.
The storm is forecast to move north slowly.
"Igme" is still expected to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring light to moderate rains over Baguio, Benguet, Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos provinces and the western part of Central and Southern Luzon.
Residents in low-lying areas in Northern Luzon are warned against possible flashflood and landslides.
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