By Annabel Consuelo Petinglay/PNA
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – Seventeen of the 18 towns in the province of Antique have suspended classes up to high school in preparation for Tropical Depression Samuel, Wednesday.
“Except for Libertad, all the others in the province have suspended classes from preschool to high school levels,” Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Broderick Train said.
So far, Train said, “Samuel” has not affected the province based on monitoring as of Tuesday.
No adverse effect of the weather disturbance was also monitored in the island municipality of Caluya nor has there been any preemptive evacuation conducted for residents in the area.
“We have to continue closely monitor the situation because of the orange alert sent out by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council,” Train said, adding that the Orange Alert means heavy rainfall is expected in Antique.
He also noted that even along riverbeds, they have not monitored any significant rise in the water level that could cause flooding.
“Last Tuesday, we prepositioned our resources in Anini-y town in preparation for any adverse effect but as of 2 o’clock Wednesday morning, the typhoon track has already changed,” Train said.
He said, however, that the Philippine Coast Guard advisory on the suspension of passenger sea vessels’ trips continues until such time that the weather condition significantly improves.
“Hopefully by Thursday, the weather will already improve so that the fishing boats and passengers vessels could resume their operations,” he said.
Three passenger vessels are plying the Libertad – Caluya mainland and Semirara – Mindoro routes.
