Tropical depression 'Helen' to bring widespread rains over Bicol

The active low pressure area east of the Philippines has developed into a tropical depression, which is expected to bring “widespread rains” over the Bicol region, the state weather bureau said Sunday afternoon.

In its 5 p.m. weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said tropical depression "Helen" was last spotted 750 kilometers east of Casiguran town in Aurora province.

The new cyclone is packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center, and is moving west northwest at 11 kilometers per hour, PAGASA said.

No public storm warning has been raised as of posting time, but PAGASA warned of widespread rains over the region that may trigger flashfloods and landslides.

The state weather bureau also said that Helen is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon, which will bring “heavy to intense” rainfall of 10 to 20 millimeters per hour over southern Luzon and western portions of Visayas and Mindanao.

The new weather disturbance came a less than a week after the southwest monsoon, enhanced by a cyclone near Taiwan, dumped unprecedented volumes of rain over Metro Manila and parts of Luzon.

Heavy flooding and landslides caused by the monsoon rains have already claimed the lives of 85 persons, based on the latest data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).