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SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews / 14 Jan) – Classes here have been suspended because of torrential rains since Tuesday, a government official announced.
This despite the weather bureau’s advisory that the tropical depression spotted 1,560 kilometers east of Northern Mindanao has “low possibility of making landfall.”
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its weather advisory dispatched 10:30 a.m. today that the tropical depression, to be named “Amang” once it enters the Philippine area of responsibility, is expected to intensify into a storm but “predicted to weaken as it approaches the eastern seaboard.”
Surigao City acting Vice Mayor Danilo Menor has declared no classes in the preschool and elementary level.
“The continuous moderate to heavy rains could possibly trigger flashfloods and landslides to some vulnerable areas,” he said.
PAGASA-Surigao, through forecaster Frances Semorlan, has raised an “alert level 1” as rains reached 23.6mm as of 5 a.m. today.
“All are alerted to take precautionary measures,” said Annette Villaces, of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.