Heavy rains, lightning and strong winds are predicted nationwide from tomorrow through Tuesday, with possible flooding in lowland areas, according to a broadcast from the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology.

The weather is the result of a low-pressure pattern caused by Typhoon Nepartak in the Pacific Ocean southeast of the Philippines. The alert did not indicate how much rain might fall or the potential wind velocity, but the storm is moving at about 18 kph. The announcement appealed to people to be cautious – particularly tourists and fishermen.

According to the National Committee for Disaster Management, 71 people have died, 202 have been injured, and 47 cattle have perished due to storms the first six months of this year. In addition, storms have damaged 7,353 houses, with 1,325 of those being completely destroyed.

Keo Vy, spokesman of the National Committee for Disaster Management, told the Post that the numbers have increased a bit compared to the same period last year.

“However, at the moment, we are not worried. Water in reservoirs and lakes is still low . . . and some areas are faced with water shortages,” he said.