The Philippines is on high alert as Tropical Storm Ada, also known as Nokaen, makes landfall, bringing torrential rain and strong winds. The storm, the first of the year for the region, developed on Friday and has been moving northwards along the east coast, with rainfall of up to 200mm per day and wind gusts reaching 65mph near its centre.
Authorities have issued warnings for storm surges of up to 2.2 metres in low-lying areas, with wave heights potentially reaching 5 metres. Flooding is expected over the next week, along with risks of landslides and lahars—volcanic mudflows—particularly around the Mayon volcano on Luzon island. The storm has already caused travel disruptions, school closures, and power outages in vulnerable regions.
The system is forecast to remain a tropical storm until Tuesday, tracking north-west, but is expected to weaken due to the north-east monsoon, transitioning back to a tropical depression. This could bring further rain and strong winds later in the week.
