Rains cause flooding in northern provinces, Metro Manila

MANILA - Severe Tropical Storm Ineng is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Saturday afternoon, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

This as rains it brought caused flooding in parts of Metro Manila and northern Luzon, prompting the declaration of a state of calamity in Laoag City.

"Sentro ng bagyong Ineng nakalagpas na sa anumang bahagi ng ating land mass at papalayo na sa ating land mass," said weather specialist Loriedin De La Cruz.

(The center of Tropical Storm Ineng has passed our land mass and is going away from our land mass.)

De La Cruz said Ineng is now headed to the southern tip of Taiwan.

Still, its outer rainbands are affecting extreme northern Luzon, she said.

"Kahit nakalampas na siya, 'yung diyametro niya hagip pa rin ang extreme northern Luzon," she said in a Facebook Live update.

(Even if it has passed, its diameter still covers part of extreme northern Luzon.)

As of 10 a.m., Ineng was spotted 140 kilometers north northwest of Basco, Batanes.

It is packing maximum sustained winds of 100 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 125 kph.

Ineng is moving west northwest at 30 kph.

Signal number 2 is still hoisted over Batanes and the Babuyan Islands while Signal No. 1 remains in effect in the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Apayao, Kalinga, northern Abra, and Ilocos Norte.

De La Cruz said the southwest monsoon is also affecting most areas of Luzon and even the western portion of Visayas.

"Ito ang nagpapaulan sa atin ngayon, including [in] Metro Manila," she said.

(This is what is causing rains now, including in Metro Manila.)

Pagasa said moderate to heavy rains is expected in Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Batanes, Cagayan (including Babuyan Islands), Zambales, Bataan, Mindoro Provinces, northern portions of Palawan (including Calamian and Cuyo Islands), Aklan, and Antique.

Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Iloilo, Guimaras, and the rest of Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon will experience light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains.

Meanwhile, the low pressure are monitored off Mindanao may intensify while still at sea.

Its center's current location is at 1,835 kms east of Mindanao.

Visit the ABS-CBN Weather Center for the latest weather updates.