LPA cancels flights, suspends classes

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Classes in elementary and high school in Albay were suspended while several flights were cancelled yesterday due to heavy rains spawned by the northeast monsoon and a low-pressure area (LPA). 

Cedric Daep of the Albay provincial disaster risk reduction and management office ordered city and municipal disaster risk reduction offices to continuously monitor the weather system. 

Flash floods were reported in several villages while Barangays Lidong, San Isidro and Fidel Surtida in Sto. Domingo town were alerted on lahar flows. 

“Evacuation is being prepared for villagers living in high-risk barangays,” said Sto. Domingo Mayor Herbie Aguas. 

At least 25 families living near a riverbank in Barangay San Roque in Malilipot town were evacuated to the San Roque Elementary School. 

Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific flights to and from Manila to Legazpi,  Naga  and Virac as well as Surigao were cancelled.

The northeast monsoon will continue to bring rains across the country today, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.  

PAGASA said cloudy skies with moderate to heavy rains and thunderstorms would be experienced over the Bicol region and the provinces of Aurora and Quezon.

Metro Manila, the rest of Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), the Visayas, Caraga region, Mindoro, Marinduque and Romblon will have cloudy skies to light to moderate rains.

Cloudy skies with light rains will also be experienced over  Ilocos, Cordillera, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon.

Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms will prevail over the rest of Mindanao.

Rene Paciente, PAGASA senior weather forecaster, said the LPA over Palawan was forecast to exit the country yesterday. – Celso Amo, Helen Flores, Rudy Santos