A low-pressure area in Cagayan developed into a tropical depression named “Carina” at 2 a.m. on Monday, the weather bureau said.
In its 5 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said “Carina” maintained its strength while moving west-northwest and heading toward the Luzon Strait.
The bureau issued its bulletin even as the state-run National Electrification Administration ordered all electric cooperatives to prepare contingency measures against “Carina.”
The tropical depression’s center was estimated 165 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan.
Packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kph, it was moving west north-west at 15 kph.
Batanes, the Babuyan Islands, and the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan remained under tropical cyclone wind signal no. 1., but the storm was expected to leave shortly.
“This tropical depression is forecast to weaken into a low-pressure area on Wednesday,” Pagasa said.
The National Electrification Administration ordered the 121 electric cooperative to activate their respective Emergency Response Organizations to implement, without delay, their appropriate emergency-response plans.
The NEA also urged the power cooperatives to continuously monitor the weather updates and to report all significant power outages to it.
As this developed, the NEA extended the payment deadline for the loan amortizations of the electric cooperatives due for the second quarter.
NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong issued Memorandum 2020-033 extending the deadline for the cooperatives to settle their loan amortizations from June 30 to July 30.
The NEA said this was in consideration of the declaration of a state of calamity throughout the country under Proclamation 929 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the enactment of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.