Tropical Depression Agaton to unleash flooding, mudslides on Philippines through Tuesday night
Tropical Depression Agaton will lash the Philippines with torrential rain through Tuesday night.
Heavy rain from Agaton continues to fall over areas that were devastated by cyclones Vinta and Urduja (known globally as Tembin and Kai-tak, respectively), further threatening lives and property across the country.
Two deaths have been reported from Agaton in Cebu, according to CNN. The deaths were related to a mudslide and falling debris.
More than 200 people have been killed by the previous two cyclones, with Vinta claiming the most lives, according to the Philippines' National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
Agaton is likely to remain a tropical depression as it crosses Palawan into Tuesday night; however, life-threatening flooding and mudslides are expected regardless of strength.
Since the depression did not develop until Jan. 1, it was given the name Agaton, based on the new 2018 storm name list from the Philippine government.
The name Bolaven would be used by locations outside of the Philippines if the storm reaches tropical storm status, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The heaviest rain will fall across Palawan as Agaton tracks westward into Tuesday night. Local downpours will still threaten parts of Mindanao and southern Visayas, although conditions will begin to improve.
Prior to Agaton's arrival, more than 70,000 people remained in evacuation centers on Monday following cyclone Vinta, the NDRRMC reported.
In this photo made from video by Aclimah Disumala, Friday, Dec. 22, 2017, villagers cross raging flood waters in Lanao del Norte, Zamboanga Pennisula, southern Philippines. (Aclimah Disumala via the AP)
Rainfall totals of 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) are expected across Palawan, southern Visayas and Mindanao, with local amounts exceeding 300 mm (12 inches) by Wednesday morning.
The region is much more susceptible to devastating flooding, mudslides and damaged roads and bridges due to heavy rainfall from the previous tropical cyclones this month.
"Residents who have returned home should be prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski said.
Any wind damage would likely be sporadic and confined to areas near the track of Agaton.
While the storm moves over and then departs Palawan, conditions may worsen in the northern Philippines as tropical moisture interacts with a frontal boundary, bringing the threat for localized flooding to northern Visayas and southern Luzon that could last into Thursday.
Agaton will then continue westward into the South China Sea during the middle of the week with potential impacts to Vietnam as early as Wednesday night or Thursday.
"On the heels of this storm, there are no indications of a super typhoon threatening the Philippines in the coming weeks despite recent speculations on social media," Pydynowski said.
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