MANILA - Tropical depression Auring made landfall over Batag Island in Northern Samar on Monday morning and is now heading towards Albay and Sorsogon, the state weather bureau said.

The country's first storm this year was last estimated 30 kilometers northeast of Catarman, Northern Samar at 10 a.m., moving north northwest at 15 km per hour while packing maximum winds of 45 kph with up to 55 kph gusts, PAGASA said in its 11 a.m. bulletin.

Auring hit land in Batag Island at 9 a.m. and is forecast to "weaken considerably" within 24 hours, due to significant terrain interaction, PAGASA added.

Tropical cyclone wind signal no. 1 remains hoisted over the following areas, where rice crops may suffer significant damage and some banana plants may be tilted:

• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands
• Albay
• Catanduanes
• eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Presentacion, Sagnay, Buhi, Iriga City, Nabua, Bato, Balatan)
• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Biliran

On Monday, moderate to heavy rains are expected over Northern Samar, Bicol Region, Marinduque, Romblon, and Quezon, PAGASA said.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains will prevail over Western Visayas, Aurora, Rizal, Samar, northern portion of Eastern Samar and the rest of Mimaropa, it added.

PAGASA warned that flash floods and rain-induced landslides were likely during heavy or prolonged rainfall especially in areas highly susceptible to these hazards.

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