MIAA temporarily suspends Naia operations amid red lightning alert

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Updated on May 29, 2024 at 3:30 p.m.

MANILA, Philippines — The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) temporarily suspended operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) on Wednesday due to a red lightning advisory.

The MIAA, in an advisory, said its Airport Ground Operations and Safety Division issued a Lightning Red Alert at 11:45 a.m.

READ: Typhoon Aghon to leave PAR on Wednesday — Pagasa

“Flight and ground operations are temporarily suspended. This alert is a safety measure taken to prevent untoward incidents from happening when lightning is prevalent in the immediate area and may endanger personnel, passengers, and even flight operations,” said MIAA.

Flight operations resumed at 12:54 p.m. after the MIAA lowered the Lightning Red Alert to Yellow.

But at 2 p.m., the MIAA once again suspended Naia operations due to another red lightning alert.

It then lowered the alert level, resuming airport operations at 2:25 p.m.

This came after the state weather bureau issued a thunderstorm advisory at 11:42 a.m., projecting moderate to heavy rain showers with lightning and strong winds over Rizal, Bulacan, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, and Quezon within the next 2 hours.

“The above conditions are being experienced in Metro Manila(Quezon City, Parañaque) and Zambales (Cabangan), which may persist within 2 hours and may affect nearby areas,” the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in an advisory.

Based on Pagasa’s weather forecast for Wednesday, the southwesterly wind flow, enhanced by Typhoon Aghon, is currently bringing rain over the western portions of the country.

Isolated rain showers and thunderstorms were also forecast for the rest of the country.

Meanwhile, Aghon is already set to exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Wednesday.