TROPICAL storm Crising, the 3rd typhoon to enter the Philippines this year, is crossing Mindanao and is expected to make landfall Thursday night or early Friday over the Davao Oriental-Surigao del Sur area, according to state weather agency PAGASA.
As of Thursday afternoon, tropical wind signals 1 and 2 in a 5-level warning system were up in various parts of the southern islands as well as the southeastern portion of Negros Oriental in the Visayas.
“Slight intensification is likely and is forecast to remain (a) tropical storm prior to landfall,” PAGASA said in its 5 p.m. Tuesday bulletin.
Crising is forecast to weaken into a tropical depression by Friday “as it traverses the rugged landmass of Mindanao and will emerge over the Sulu Sea on Saturday early morning,” the weather bureau said.
Local disaster management teams have been placed on high alert for possible floodings and landslides with the expected heavy rainfall in some areas.
As of Thursday afternoon, Crising was packing winds of 65 kilometers per hour (km/h) and gustiness of up to 80 km/h. — MSJ