Classes suspended; ‘no sail’ policy raised in CamSur as ‘Ompong’ nears

LEGAZPI CITY — Camarines Sur Gov. Miguel Luis Villafuerte suspended public and private classes in all levels throughout the province on Thursday until Friday as Typhoon “Ompong” (international name: Mangkhut) neared the country, has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) raised the tropical cyclone warning signal over Camarines Sur and Catanduanes to 1.

By Thursday morning, Pagasa also raised signal no. 1 over Masbate’s Burias and Ticao islands, Camarines Norte, Sorsogon, and Albay.

Pagasa, in their bulletin, said the provinces would experience the peripheral effect of the typhoon within 36 hours, bringing with it occasional rains and gusty winds.

Villafuerte has also ordered a no-sail and no-island-hopping policy throughout Camarines Sur and has ordered residents to stay away from seas and other bodies of water to keep safe.

Ompong is expected to make landfall in Northern Cagayan on Saturday. The typhoon may reach a peak intensity of 220 to 270 kilometers per hour on Thursday, according to Pagasa.