Over 700,000 evacuated due to 'Nona'

MANILA, Philippines - More than 700,000 persons have been evacuated to safer areas due to Typhoon Nona, which is expected to batter parts of Bicol and Eastern Visayas.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said a total of 724,839 individuals or 161,014 families have been pre-emptively evacuated in Albay, Sorsogon and in Northern Samar.

The bulk of the evacuees, more than 589,000 of them, were from Albay.

"The people here are very vulnerable but they are safe," Albay Gov. Joey Salceda told ABS-CBN News Channel in an interview on Monday. 

Edgar Posadas, civil defense director of Eastern Visayas, said he has received reports that parts of northern Samar are already experiencing floods.

"We have no reports of casualties yet. The local government units have been very cooperative," he said.

Classes in eight provinces, three municipalities and three cities in Calabarzon, Bicol and Eastern Visayas were suspended because of the bad weather.

Classes in all levels were suspended in Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Catamduanes, Masbate, Naga City, Northern Samar, Biliran Island, Caibiran, Kawayan and Almeria. Pre-school and elementary classes, meanwhile, were suspended in Lucena City, Sorsogon and Catbalogan City. 

NDRRMC said a total of 40 domestic flights bound for  Manila, Legazpi, Virac, Tacloban, Cebu, Naga and Calbayog were cancelled due to "Nona."

A total of 7,934 passengers, 62 vessels, 11 motor boats and 552 rolling cargoes were standed due to rough sea conditions.