By Alec Go
Severe tropical storm (STS) ‘Betty’ has left the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Thursday afternoon, June 1, as it continued to weaken while moving north-northeastward.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said “Betty,” with international name “Mawar,” was 685 kilometers (km) northeast of Itbayat, Batanes as of 4:00 p.m.
It is moving with maximum sustained winds of 95 km per hour (km/h) near the center and gustiness of up to 115 km/h.
All tropical cyclone wind signals have been lifted.
However, a gale warning is currently in effect over the northern seaboards of northern Luzon, the eastern seaboard of Luzon, and the western seaboard of Southern Luzon.
PAGASA said the southwest monsoon (habagat) will cause rains in the country that may trigger flooding and rain-induced landslides.
Enhances habagat is also forecast to bring occasional to frequent wind gusts in the next 24 hours over northern Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Bicol Region, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Northern Samar, and the northern portion of Samar. – gb
