The low-pressure area east of southeastern Luzon has developed into a tropical depression and was named Ramil, the weather bureau said Friday.
In its 5 a.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) reported that Ramil was last located 1,145 kilometers east of Southeastern Luzon, packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 55 kph.
It is moving slowly west-northwestward, Pagasa added.
The weather bureau raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 in parts of Luzon and the Visayas, where strong winds of 39 to 61 kph may be felt within the next 36 hours. Affected areas include:
Luzon
Easternmost portion of Quezon (Tagkawayan)
Camarines Norte
Catanduanes
Camarines Sur
Albay
The northern and eastern parts of Sorsogon (Donsol, Pilar, Castilla, Sorsogon City, Gubat, Prieto Diaz, Casiguran, Barcelona, Bulusan)
Visayas
Eastern portion of Northern Samar (Laoang, Catubig, Palapag, Mapanas, Gamay, Lapinig, Pambujan, San Roque)
Pagasa said Ramil may pass close to Catanduanes by Saturday morning or afternoon and could make landfall in Aurora or Quezon by Sunday, Oct. 19.
The weather bureau also warned that Ramil may intensify into a tropical storm or even a severe tropical storm before making landfall. /mcm/abc