DepEd cancels classes in typhoon-hit areas
The Department of Education announced Sunday the suspension of classes Monday in areas threatened by typhoon Paeng (international codename Cimaron).
In a text message to ABS-CBN News, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said elementary and high school classes are cancelled in provinces and regions where Public Storm Warning Signals 1 to 4 were hoisted Sunday afternoon.
He, however, said that classes in Metro Manila are not yet suspended. A typhoon warning was not raised over the capital region.
Lapus also said that the Commission on Higher Education has yet to announce the status of classes in the college level.
ABS-CBN News reported on Sunday afternoon that signal no. 4 has been raised over parts of Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon as Paeng moved closer to the northeastern part of Luzon.
The report cited an advisory from weather bureau PAGASA. The advisory said that signal no. 4 has been hoisted over Isabela province, southern Cagayan, Quirino in Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon's northern Aurora.
As of 4 p.m., the typhoon was spotted at 120 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora or 210 km southeast of Tuguegarao, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 195 kph. It is moving west northwest at 19 kph.
Signal number 3, meanwhile, has been hoisted over the rest of Cagayan, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya and the rest of Aurora and signal number 2 over Calayan Group of Islands, Ilocos provinces, Abra, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, northern Bulacan, northern Quezon and Polillo Island.
Signal number 1 has also been raised over Camarines Norte, the rest of Quezon, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales, Rizal and the rest of Bulacan.
The typhoon is expected to make landfall Sunday night over Isabela and cross northern Luzon.
PAGASA forecast the typhoon to be 120 km northwest of Dagupan City by Monday afternoon.
Residents in the areas where storm signals have been hoisted were warned against possible flashfloods and landslides especially those who are along the eastern coast of Luzon.
Residents were also advised advised to be alert against storm surge or big waves generated by the typhoon.