MANILA (AFP) - The Philippines was watching nervously on Sunday as a tropical storm threatened a typhoon-prone central island that Pope Francis will visit this week on his tour of the fervently Catholic nation.
The country's weather bureau said a low-pressure area currently over the Pacific Ocean was on course for Leyte Island, touted as one of the highlights of the pontiff's four-day visit, and could develop into a storm by the time it enters Philippine waters on Thursday.
Leyte was the province worst-hit by Super Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, and suffered landslides and floods late last year wrought by tropical storm Jangmi. "Part of contingency planning are possible inclement scenarios... options are being developed," presidential spokesman Herminio Coloma from the papal visit organising committee told AFP.
Asked if cancelling the events on Leyte island on Jan 17 was an option, Mr Coloma said: "It's best to wait until the (weather disturbance) enters the Philippines before making specific contingency plans."
Source:www.straitstimes.com
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