The latest typhoon information on July 23 from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has denied information about 6 tropical storms hitting the Philippines this week.
PAGASA called on the public to pay attention to fake news and share a screenshot of the post on the Facebook page "Bulacan RC Crayfish" with PAGASA's logo. The post on this page predicts that 6 typhoons Dante, Emong, Fabian, Gorlo, Huaning and one one will enter the Philippines on July 24.
"The widespread information that 6 tropical storms will make landfall in the Philippines this week is untrue," PAGASA stressed.
In the bulletin, PAGASA also noted that the low pressure area east of Aurora strengthened into tropical depression Dante on the afternoon of July 22 and has now strengthened into a tropical storm.
PAGASA Assistant Director Chris Perez said that based on the current forecast track, Dante is unlikely to make landfall or directly affect the Philippines.
Dante storm is 880km east of Luzon, with a wind of 65 km/h and 80 km/h.
Philippine typhoon forecasters point out that sub subtropical storm subtropical and northwest of the Philippine Sea will move northwestward until it leaves the Philippine forecast area late on July 24 or early on July 25.
Dante storm is expected to not hit the mainland and no wind signals are issued regarding the storm. However, the latest storm near the East Sea forecasts to increase the Southwest monsoon, bringing significant rainfall on Luzon and Western Visayas Island until the end of July 25.
Heavy rains are possible in Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan and Occidental Mindoro on July 23 and 24.
The risk of flooding and landslides remains in these areas, especially after last week's rain.
PAGASA said that the low pressure area near the East Sea, off the northern tip of Luzon, developed into tropical depression Emong on the morning of July 23. Emong is 105km northwest of Northern Luzon, with maximum sustained winds of 45km/h and gusts of up to 55km/h.
In addition to Typhoon Dante and Tropical Depression Emong, PAGASA is also monitoring another low pressure area 2,340 km east of Eastern Visayas.
Tropical Depression Emong is designated by the US Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) as Tropical Depression 11W. According to the forecast track of the JTWC, this tropical depression is likely to enter the East Sea and strengthen into a storm before returning to the Philippines. The JTWC said that tropical depression 11W is 470km north of Manila, Philippines. The system has been moving west-southwest at a speed of 19 km/h for the past 6 hours.
In addition to the three systems similar to those monitored by PAGASA, the JTWC is monitoring a fourth weather system that has just formed near the Philippines - the Invest 90W depression currently operating in the Philippine Sea, near the area where Hurricane Dante forms. Currently, Invest 90W is unlikely to strengthen into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours.
