Tropical Depression Lawin, which is hovering above the Philippine sea, is expected to land on the northern Philippine island of Luzon late Wednesday, the country's weather forecast bureau reported.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, Lawin is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring rains over the southern Luzon and Visayas regions.
It may trigger flashfloods and landslides, the weather bureau said.
On early Wednesday, the tropical depression is located 150 kilometers southeast of Aurora, packing sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center.
It is expected to be 100 km northwest of Baguio City on Thursday morning and it is likely to arrive at 700 km west-northwest of the northern city of Laoag or 160 km south of Hong Kong on Saturday morning.
Public storm signal number 1 (30-60 kilometer per hour winds) was raised in several northern provinces. Regional disaster relief offices have been ordered to undertake monitoring and precautionary measures.
Due to the tropical depression, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo canceled her scheduled trip in the northern province of Ilocos Norte and promptly went back to Philippines' capital by land transport instead of riding the presidential helicopter, the presidential office's security staff said.
Located to the west to the Pacific, the Philippine archipelago is a frequent victim of summer typhoons generated over the Pacific. Hundreds and even thousands of lives were lost every year in the devastation of tropical storms.
The National Disaster Coordinating Council on Wednesday reported that the death toll of the latest typhoon Nuri in the Philippines has grown to 14, while 13 others were injured. Experts predicted that around 20 tropical storms, typhoons are expected to hit the Philippines this year.
Source:Xinhua
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