MANILA - Tropical depression Samuel threatened large swaths of the country with possible floods and landslides on Tuesday, as the government welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Xi will be in the country on Nov. 20 and 21 for his first state visit under President Rodrigo Duterte's administration.

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Samuel was 260 kilometers east of Maasin, Southern Leyte at 1 p.m., maintaining maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and 65 kph gusts, said PAGASA.

The country's 19th storm this year will bring moderate to heavy rains that may trigger floods and landslides in Visayas, Dinagat Islands, Siargao island, Sorsogon, Masbate, Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Romblon, and Cuyo islands.

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Storm signal 1 was raised over the following areas that may be whipped by 30 to 60 kph winds in the next 36 hours.

Luzon
Masbate
Ticao Island
Romblon
Southern Oriental Mindoro
Southern Occidental Mindoro
Northern Palawan
Cuyo Island
Calamian Islands

Visayas

Northern Samar
Eastern Samar
Samar
Biliran
Leyte
Southern Leyte
Bohol
Cebu
Siquijor
Negros Oriental
Negros Occidental
Guimaras
Iloilo
Capiz
Aklan
Antique

Mindanao

Dinagat Islands
Surigao del Norte
Surigao del Sur
Agusan del Norte
Agusan del Sur
Misamis Oriental
Camiguin

[As of 2:00 p.m.] Tropical depression #SamuelPH continues to move closer towards the Samar-Leyte-Dinagat area. | via @dost_pagasa pic.twitter.com/8b57TTRJ6w

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) November 20, 2018

Metro Manila may experience isolated rains in the afternoon as Samuel moves closer to Eastern Visayas, PAGASA weather forecaster Ariel Rojas earlier said.

Samuel may hit land in the southern portion of Eastern Samar or Dinagat Island on Tuesday night, said the weather agency.

The tropical depression is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility on Friday morning, said PAGASA.

The weather agency advised fisherfolk and small vessels to refrain from venturing off the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon due to rough waves.

PAGASA is monitoring another tropical depression off the Pacific Ocean, but it may recurve away from the Philippines, said Rojas.

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