READY FOR RESCUE The municipal government of Jipapad in Eastern Samar has readied two boats for possible rescue operation as the town gets inundated by floodwater on Monday due to non-stop rain spawned a shear line. PHOTO COURTESY OF VICKY ABESTROS
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Philippines —Incessant rain continued to affect parts of Eastern Visayas and Bicol on Monday, triggering the suspension of classes in at least 31 localities in both regions.
The rains, spawned by the shear line, or the weather system that forms when cold and warm winds merge, forced the cancellation of classes at all levels in 15 towns and cities in Eastern Visayas and 16 localities in Bicol.
In Eastern Visayas, classes were suspended in the towns of Paranas, Motiong, Hinabangan, and Pinabacdao, all in Samar; Dolores, Llorente, Jipapad, and Taft in Eastern Samar; Catarman in Northern Samar; the cities of Calbayog and Catbalogan in Samar; the cities of Ormoc, Baybay, and Tacloban in Leyte; and Rosario town in Southern Leyte.
In Bicol, the shear line-induced rains prompted the suspension of classes in at least 16 localities.
Mayflor Marie Jumamil, information officer of the Department of Education (DepEd) Bicol, said in a report on Monday that the class suspension covered all schools in the towns of Palanas, Uson, Cataingan and Dimasalang, all in Masbate; the towns of Gubat, Bulusan, Juban, Casiguran, Sta. Magdalena, Magallanes, Castilla, Matnog, Barcelona and Bulan in Sorsogon; and Mapaso Elementary School in Irosin town.
Sorsogon City Mayor Ma. Ester Hamor also suspended classes at all levels, both in public and private schools, in the city.
Rescheduled tests
In Tacloban, the DepEd schools division announced the cancellation of the National Achievement Test (NAT) for graduating Grade 12 students due to the bad weather. The exams were moved to Feb. 1 and Feb. 2.
The NAT would also be rescheduled in the affected areas in Bicol, said Mark Kevin Arroco, development project officer of DepEd Bicol’s information office.
He said the NAT for Grade 12 in three schools in coastal villages in Mercedes town in Camarines Norte was also canceled as these areas were inaccessible due to a damaged spillway.
In Southern Leyte, rocks fell in a hilly portion of Barangay Pinut-an, San Ricardo town, due to a heavy downpour at about 4 a.m. on Monday. No one was injured.
The Office of Civil Defense in Eastern Visayas on Monday advised the public and the disaster risk reduction and management councils across the region to monitor the weather condition and to take appropriate actions.