'Dindo' moves out of Philippines

MANILA (2nd Update, 11:41 a.m.) -- Tropical Storm Dindo (international codename: Doksuri), which made landfall Thursday night over the Islands of Calayan, continues to move out of the Philippine territory and is heading towards southern China, the weather bureau said Friday.

As of 10 a.m. Friday, "Dindo" was spotted at 380 kilometers west northwest of Laoag City, packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.

"Dindo" is moving west northwest at 10 kph, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its latest bulletin.

All public storm signals were lowered Friday morning. But Pagasa said "Dindo" will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon that will bring occasional rains over Western Luzon and Western Visayas that may trigger landslides and flash floods.

Fishing boats and other small sea crafts are still advised not to venture out into the seaboards of Luzon due to the combined effects of the tropical storm and the southwest monsoon.

Meanwhile, several local government units in Luzon activated their disaster councils as "Dindo" skidded through extreme Northern Luzon Thursday night.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan ordered the suspension of classes in Baguio City at the pre-school level to elementary level, while classes from pre-school to high school level were also suspended in the rest of the region.

The Benguet Provincial Government also issued suspension of all small-scale mining operations to protect the safety of miners.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said several roads and bridges in northern Luzon remained closed due to massive landslides and flash floods. These include the Baguio-Bontoc Road (K0390+300, Tiktik Section); Kabayan-Buguias-Abayan Road KM 355+100 (Alapang Section), Benguet; Sabangan Bridge-Baguio-Bontoc Road Km 347+400 Sabangan Section; Mt. Province-Calanan Road, K0443+620; Tabuk-Banaue road, K0536+600; Narvacan-Sulvec Road (Secondary National Road) Km 379+020 to Km 379+160, Ilocos Sur; San Emilio-Quirino Road, Ilocos Sur; Buagao Bridge Detour; Manila North Road (MNR) Km 579+100; Manila North Road (MNR) Km 579+100; MNR Km 536+500; Garasgas Bridge Km 471-839; Tagudin-Cervantes Road; Magapit Suspension Bridge, Lallo, Cagayan; and Bagunot Overflow Bridge and Abusag Overflow Bridge. (Sunnex)