Bicol braces for stormy weekend as ‘Urduja’ nears
LEGAZPI CITY—Local governments in Albay and Camarines Sur provinces suspended classes on Wednesday due to heavy rains as Tropical Depression “Urduja” moved toward the Eastern Visayas and Bicol regions.
In Albay, Gov. Al Francis Bichara announced on Tuesday night the province-wide suspension of classes in preschool and elementary levels.
He also advised residents to avoid crossing swollen rivers as a precaution.
Sailing of small seacraft and fishing boats were also suspended after the government weather bureau raised a gale warning over the province.
In Camarines Sur, Gov. Miguel Luis Villafuerte suspended classes in public and private schools in the province “to ensure safety of the populace … especially schoolchildren and students.”
The independent component city of Naga in Camarines Sur, however, did not suspend classes on Wednesday.
Bichara and Villafuerte did not specify when classes would resume.
Urduja is expected to make landfall on Saturday either in Bicol or Eastern Visayas, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.
In Sorsogon province, Castilla Mayor Joan Lorenzano-Aquende suspended classes in all levels in the town on Wednesday afternoon due to heavy rains in the town.
According to Aquende, 13 coastal villages in her town are prone to storm surges while at least five villages are high-risk to flooding and landslides.
In Oriental Mindoro province, three houses were washed out after a dike collapsed in Naujan town on Wednesday, according to reports from the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) in Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan).
Eugene Cabrera, RDRRMC director in Mimaropa, said no one was reported hurt in the incident. —REPORTS FROM REY ANTHONY OSTRIA, MICHAEL JAUCIAN, MA. APRIL MIER AND MARICAR CINCO
