The Department of Education (DepEd) reported Tuesday that tropical storm ‘Kristine’ has so far disrupted the operations of 17,764 schools in the Philippines.
The typhoon affected basic education schools across 79 divisions in 12 regions. This affected a total of 7,376,679 learners as well as 344,125 teachers and non-teaching personnel.
Despite this, DepEd said only four schools have been hit by floods while two were used as evacuation centers.
In line with this development, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) also recommended the suspension of classes today in Luzon.
The DepEd said that Region VIII has suspended classes in 143 divisions. This was followed by Region V with 112 divisions, Region IV-A with 83 divisions, Region II with 68 divisions, Region VII with 60 divisions, Region 12 with 42 divisions, MIMAROPA with 26 divisions, Region III with 8 divisions, Region X with 6 divisions, Region VI with 12 divisions, and CAR with 1 division.
Several provinces in Bicol and Eastern Visayas were placed under tropical cyclone wind signal (TCWS) no. 2 on Tuesday afternoon as tropical storm ‘Kristine’ slightly intensified over the Philippine Sea, state weather forecasters said.
‘Kristine’ is forecast to gradually intensify into a severe tropical storm before making landfall. Slight weakening will occur while crossing Northern Luzon. Re-intensification may occur over the West Philippine Sea,” PAGASA said in its 5:00 p.m. advisory.
As this developed, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warned that heavy to intense rains over Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas could generate volcanic sediment flows or lahars, muddy streamflows or muddy run-off in rivers and drainage areas of Mayon Volcano.
It said that “prolonged and heavy rainfall may generate non-eruption lahars along river/stream channels draining the Mayon edifice.”
“Potential lahars and sediment-laden streamflows may occur along the Miisi, Binaan, Anoling, Quirangay, Maninila, Masarawag, Muladbucad, Nasisi, Mabinit, Matanag, Bonga, Buyuan, Basud, and Bulawan Channels in Albay Province. Mayon lahars can threaten communities along the middle and lower slopes and downstream of these channels with inundation, burial and wash out,” the Institute said.
The institute “strongly advises the communities and local government units of the above identified areas of risk to continually monitor the tropical storm conditions and take pre-emptive response measures for their safety from “Kristine.”
PAGASA, on the other hand, warned that the following areas across the Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions of possible minor to moderate impacts from gale-force winds, warranting the issuance of TCWS no. 2:
LUZON: Catanduanes, the eastern portion of Camarines Norte (Basud, Daet, Talisay, Vinzons, Paracale, Mercedes), the eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Presentacion, Garchitorena, Tinambac, Siruma, Lagonoy, Goa, San Jose, Saglay, Tigaon), the eastern portion of Albay (Rapu-Rapu, Bacacay, City of Tabaco, Malilipot, Malinao, Tiwi) and the eastern portion of Sorsogon (Barcelona, Gubat, Prieto Diaz)
VISAYAS: The northeastern portion of Northern Samar (Palapag, Mapanas, Gamay, Laoang, Catubig, Lapinig, Pambujan, San Roque) and the northern portion of Eastern Samar (Jipapad, San Policarpo, Arteche)
As of 5 p.m., the following areas remain under TCWS no. 1:
LUZON: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon including Pollilo Islands, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands, Oriental Mindoro, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Marinduque, Romblon, the rest of Camarines Norte, the rest of Camarines Sur, the rest of Albay, and the rest of Sorsogon
VISAYAS: The rest of Eastern Samar, the rest of Northern Samar, Samar, Leyte, Biliran, and Southern Leyte
MINDANAO: Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte including Siargao – Bucas Grande Group
PAGASA said ‘Kristine’ is expected to move generally northwestward until it makes landfall over Isabela or northern Aurora by Wednesday evening or early morning Thursday. It is projected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Friday.
“Changes in forecast track is not ruled out, depending on the movement of the weather systems surrounding this tropical cyclone in the next few days,” PAGASA said.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “DepEd: Over 17K schools affected by storm ‘Kristine’.”
