The Philippine Online Chronicles

Flashfloods and landslides may hit again parts of Mindanao as a low pressure area (LPA) off General Santos City might develop into a cyclone in two to three days, weather bureau authorities warned on Tuesday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the LPA may intensify and bring as much as 20 mm of rain per hour in eastern Mindanao, particularly Surigao, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, Saranggani, Sultan Kudarat, and South Cotabato.

"Eastern Visayas and Mindanao will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over Eastern and Southern Mindanao which may trigger flash floods and landslides," PAG-ASA said.

PAG-ASA forecaster Jun Galang said in a GMANews.tv report that if the LPA becomes a cyclone, it will be name “Ambo,” the first cyclone to enter Philippine territory in 2012.

"Maaaring mag-intensify ito... Puwedeng lumaki ang area na covered nito ... Sa forecast ng models, by Wednesday to Thursday medyo maulan; ngayon halos buong Mindanao na," Galang said, adding that the LPA may bring as much rain as tropical storm Sendong which  ravaged parts of Mindanao and Visayas in December.

PAG-ASA’s latest weather bulletin also warned fishing boats and other small seacrafts from going out into the sea as the northeast monsoon affects the seaboards of Luzon and Visayas.

In a separate report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has warned that the weather disturbance might hit the areas devastated by Sendong.

NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos said they have started alerting local government units in Mindanao to prepare for the potential impacts of the LPA.

Leptospirosis, dengue hounds victims

Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) has declared a leptospirosis outbreak in Cagayan de Oro, one of the badly hit cities during the onslaught of Sendong, as 200 people were diagnosed to have the disease.

Health officials also warned that dengue may also hit the victims of Sendong who are still staying in cramped evacuation centers.

Dr. Eric Tayag of the National Epidemiology Center said health officials are bracing for the rise in dengue cases in evacuation centers about two weeks from now.