SCREENGRAB from Pagasa’s Facebook page

LEGAZPI CITY—Classes were suspended on Friday in public and private elementary schools in the provinces of Catanduanes, Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte after the country’s weather bureau raised storm Signal No. 1 in these areas due to Typhoon “Lando,” the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Bicol said.

Bernardo Rafael Alejandro, OCD Regional Director and Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) chairman, said sea travel was also suspended to and from these provinces, stranding 179 passengers bound for Virac, Catanduanes at the port of Tabaco City in Albay.

At least six ferries, and 39 passenger buses, trucks and light vehicles were likewise stranded in the Tabaco port.

Alejandro said the RDRRMC Bicol Operations Center in Police Camp Gen. Simeon Ola here was activated and on “red alert” status as of 5 a.m.

He said they were coordinating with the DRRMCs of the province under storm signals for close monitoring of the weather situation, particularly in floods and landslide prone areas.

He said disaster response agencies have also prepositioned stand by trucks, food and relief supplies including drugs and medicines in the event of evacuation.

READ: ‘Lando’ now a severe tropical storm

As of 8 a.m., Typhoon Lando was located at 625 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

The typhoon packs a maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph. It was moving west at 15 kph, affecting Northern and Central Luzon.

Strong to gale force winds were expected to affect the northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon, western seaboard of Central Luzon and the eastern seaboard of the Visayas.

READ: ‘Lando’ intensifies into typhoon; Signal No. 1 up in 13 provinces

Placed under storm Signal No. 1 were Isabela, Cagayan, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Nueva Viscaya, Quirino, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Quezon including Polillo Island, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes. RAM