Thursday, August 21, 2008 Classes in Metro suspended
THE Department of Education (DepEd) suspended classes Wednesday at all levels in the National Capital Region (NCR) due to heavy rains brought about by the onslaught of Typhoon Karen (international codename: Nuri).
Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said the suspension took effect at 12 noon Wednesday.
“Upon the recommendation of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, we decided to suspend classes at all levels in the NCR beginning 12 noon today (Wednesday),” Lapus said.
He said the communications division of DepEd had already ordered its district supervisors and principals to inform their respective schools on the suspension order.
Early Wednesday morning, Education Regional Director for Metro Manila Teresita Domalanta announced the suspension of classes at the elementary and secondary level in Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela, traditionally the most flood-prone areas in the metropolis.
Malabon Mayor Canuto Senen Oreta ordered the suspension of classes at elementary and high school levels as early as 7 a.m. due to the heavy rain. Valenzuela and Navotas followed later.
Authorities also suspended classes in Northern Luzon where the weather bureau said was being battered by the typhoon as it moved west northwest towards Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said knee-deep floods occurred in General San Miguel in Caloocan and BB McArthur Highway in Valenzuela.
Floods also hit barangays Talayan and Maria Clara in Quezon City, rendering them impassable to light vehicles.
But the MMDA said flooding already subsided by 1 p.m. Wednesday.
MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando said he placed emergency and rescue personnel on stand-by alert to respond to any call for help in the metropolis.
He added that the agency also coordinated with the local government units especially in the Camanava (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela) area to assess the situation.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Typhoon Karen maintained its strength of 140 kilometers (km) per hour winds at the center and gusts of up to 170 kph as it crossed the Babuyan Channel.
It is expected to be 320 km northwest of Laoag City Thursday morning.
The typhoon hit Cagayan, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Batanes, Babuyan Group of Islands, Calayan Group of Islands, Isabela, La Union, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Quirino, and Aurora. (AH/Sunnex)
