MANILA, Philippines—Wednesday afternoon classes were suspended in the following areas in anticipation of heavy rains brought by Tropical Depression “Queenie”:
Cebu City—Classes in preschool, elementary, and high school levels were suspended starting 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Southern Cebu—Afternoon classes in all levels
Misamis Oriental—Afternoon classes in preschool and elementary levels
Cagayan de Oro City—Afternoon classes in preschool, elementary, and high school levels
Arden Monisit, Department of Education provincial director in Cebu, ordered the class suspension at noon Wednesday. He said schoolchildren must be home before the onset of heavy rains spawned by Queenie to prevent any untoward incident.
The Cebu City government also ordered that classes in public schools be suspended at 3 p.m. because of the expected heavy volume of rain.
Night classes in public schools were suspended.
Queenie is expected to make landfall over Surigao del Sur Wednesday afternoon, the state weather bureau said.
Oscar Tabada, head of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration office in the Visayas, said Signal No. 1 was raised in Southern Leyte, Bohol, Southern Cebu, Negros Oriental and the Southern part of Negros Occidental.
Signal No. 1 was also raised in Siquijor, Surigao del Norte including Siargao Island, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Compostella Valley, Dinagat Province, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Bukidnon and Zamboanga del Norte.
Tabada said southern Cebu, particularly from Carcar City to Santander town, would experience heavy rainfall on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday.
Queenie had maximum winds of 45 kph and was estimated to be about 210 kilometers east of Hinatuan in Surigao del Sur as of mid-morning Wednesday.
The Philippine Coast Guard station in Cebu suspended ferry crossings in the affected provinces starting at 10 a.m.
Coast Guard Commander Rodolfo Villajuan said 14 boats and roll-on-roll-off vessels as well as two motor boats were not allowed to sail, leaving more than 300 persons stranded at the ports of Cebu.
Queenie is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility Friday evening. With a report from Doris C. Bongcac, Inquirer Visayas
RELATED STORIES
Storm ‘Queenie’ to landfall over Surigao del Sur; Signal no. 1 still up
Typhoon Queenie sweeps Visayas; 250 passengers stranded