'Basyang' landfall over southern Palawan tonight possible — PAGASA

MANILA, Philippines — PAGASA said Tropical Depression Basyang (international name: Sanba) might make landfall in southern Palawan on Wednesday night as it warned that moderate to heavy rain would prevail over Palawan and Western Visayas in the next 24 hours. 

The center of "Basyang" was estimated to be located at 185 km west-southwest of Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental at 4 a.m. on Wednesday, PAGASA said in its 5 a.m. severe weather bulletin. 

The tropical depression maintains its west-southwest direction at 26 kph as it traverses Sulu Sea. 

"Basyang" packs maximum sustained winds of 45 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 60 kph. 

Placed under Signal No. 1 were Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo Groups of Islands, the southern section of Negros Occidental, the southern section of Negros Oriental and the northern section of Zamboanga del Norte. 

The state weather bureau said scattered light to moderate with at times heavy rain is expected over the rest of Visayas, Bicol Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao and Caraga. 

It warned against sea travel over the seaboards of areas under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signals, as well as the seaboards of northern Luzon and Palawan, the eastern seaboards of central Luzon and of the Visayas and the eastern seaboard of southern Luzon due to "Basyang" and the surge of the northeast monsoon. 

The tropical depression is forecast to be at 40 km southwest of Pagasa Island, Palawan, outside the Philippine area of responsibility, by Friday morning.