Classes suspended in 4 Bicol provinces

LEGAZPI CITY—FOUR provinces in the Bicol Region canceled classes on Dec. 2 and 3 as Typhoon “Tisoy” (international name: Kammuri) barreled toward Luzon over the weekend.

The class suspensions on Monday and Tuesday were separately announced by civil defense authorities in Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Tisoy entered the

Philippine area of responsibility around 4 p.m. on Saturday.

It will likely hit land in Bicol between Monday afternoon and early Tuesday morning.

Camarines Sur forced residents in areas expected to be affected by Tisoy to evacuate amid increased risks of flooding and storm surges.

In Sagñay, Camarines Sur, Don Panoy, the town’s disaster risk reduction and management officer, said they would also forcibly evacuate residents in risky areas on Monday.

“Today, we will have a mass information dissemination during the boodle fight as we celebrate the town fiesta,” Panoy said.

Local city governments in Bicol also started taking down Christmas decorations on Saturday ahead of the expected arrival of Tisoy.

Christmas decorations in Legazpi City were taken down on the order of Mayor Noel Rosal, said Miladee Azur, disaster risk reduction and management officer.

Albay Gov. Al Francis Bichara also postponed the Chrismas tree lighting ceremony that was set on Monday.