Tropical Storm Penha

Tropical Storm Penha (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpe.ɲɐ]), known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Basyang, was a weak but costly early-season tropical cyclone that affected portions of Luzon, including Mimaropa and Masbate, as well as large parts of Visayas and Mindanao. The second named storm of the 2026 Pacific typhoon season, Penha originated from a low-pressure area that formed east-northeast of Yap. The system was classified as a tropical depression by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) on February 3, while the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) assigned the local name Basyang. On February 4, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) designated it as Tropical Depression 02W. Later that day at 21:00 JST (12:00 UTC), the JMA upgraded the depression to a tropical storm and named it Penha, the replacement for Vongfong after it was retired following the 2020 season. The JTWC upgraded the system to tropical storm status the following day. Late on February 5, Penha made landfall over Bayabas, Surigao del Sur, and weakened into a tropical depression several hours later on February 6. The system subsequently made four consecutive landfalls across Central Visayas before degenerating into a remnant low, and dissipated on February 7.

Four people, including two children, were killed in a landslide overnight in Cagayan de Oro. Another fatality was reported in Iligan, where a local broadcaster died of cardiac arrest after floodwaters inundated her apartment. Economic losses in Surigao del Sur were estimated at ₱1.48 billion (US$25.24 million), prompting the province to be placed under a state of calamity. A total of 1,373 homes were damaged, and 36 people were injured in Northern Mindanao.