Tropical Depression Kristine maintains strength, more areas under Signal No.1

MANILA, Philippines — More areas were placed under Signal No. 1 as Tropical Depression Kristine maintained its strength while moving south-southwestward over the Philippine Sea, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Monday.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, Pagasa said the storm signal was raised over Catanduanes, Masbate including Ticao Island and Burias Island, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Camarines Norte, and the eastern portion of Quezon (Tagkawayan, Guinayangan, Buenavista, San Narciso and San Andres) in Luzon.

In Visayas, Signal No. 1 is up in Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Samar, Leyte, Biliran, and Southern Leyte and Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte including Siargao.

Estimated some 870 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas, the tropical depression is moving at 30 kilometers per hour (kph) while packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph.

Forecast to make landfall in Cagayan by Friday, Kristine may intensify into a tropical storm in the next 12 hours, Pagasa administrator Nathaniel Servando told The Manila Times.

Pagasa officials raised flash food alerts in Bicol region, CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), Eastern Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula.

Kristine is the 11th storm to hit the country this year.