MANILA - Tropical depression Samuel may unleash rains as heavy as that of Tropical Storm Urduja, which claimed at least 43 lives in December last year, the state weather bureau warned Monday.

Samuel was 660 km east southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur at 4 a.m., packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and 65 kph gusts, said PAGASA.

It will stir moderate to heavy rains that may trigger floods and landslides in Caraga Region, Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Camiguin and Misamis Oriental, said PAGASA weather forecaster Ariel Rojas.

Samuel may intensify into a tropical storm like Urduja before it directly hits Dinagat Island or Surigao Del Norte on Tuesday night, he said.

"Siguro bilang comparison kasi last year lang ito nangyari, iyung Urduja po d'yan sa may Eastern Visayas tumama. Mahina rin pong bagyo iyun, pero napakalakas ng pag-ulan na nagdulot po ng pagguho ng lupa," he told radio DZMM.

(It may perhaps be compared with Urduja which hit Eastern Visayas last year. It was also a weak storm but it triggered heavy rains that caused landslides.)

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Storm signal 1, he said, was raised over Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte and Dinagat Island Province.

These areas may be lashed by 30 to 60 kph winds in the next 36 hours, he said.

Rojas urged residents in Visayas and Northern Mindanao to heed possible evacuation orders from authorities.

Samuel may leave the Philippine area of responsibility on Thursday night or Friday morning, he said.