Bagyong Nika Prompts Class Suspensions for November 12, 2024
WALANG PASOK – Severe Tropical Storm Nika (international name: Toraji) has led to widespread class suspensions across various regions in the Philippines on Tuesday, November 12.
According to PAGASA’s latest advisory at 5 a.m., Nika was located 185 kilometers west of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, with maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (kph) near its center and gusts of up to 115 kph. Moving northwestward at 30 kph over the West Philippine Sea, the storm is gradually weakening.
Despite this weakening trend, PAGASA has placed six areas in Northern Luzon under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 due to anticipated adverse weather conditions. Given these developments, local governments in affected regions have proactively suspended classes to ensure public safety.
Class suspensions were implemented in numerous parts of Luzon, specifically in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon. In CAR, all levels, both public and private, were suspended in Abra and parts of Mountain Province. Meanwhile, in the Ilocos Region, several cities and municipalities across Pangasinan, including Dagupan City, Malasiqui, and Manaoag, also suspended classes from preschool to senior high school.
In Cagayan Valley, three areas in Isabela Province, including Ilagan City, halted classes at all levels. Similarly, in Central Luzon, various areas across Pampanga, Tarlac, and Aurora suspended in-person classes, with some areas extending suspensions to senior high school students.
Finally, in Calabarzon, General Nakar in Quezon Province suspended classes for preschool through senior high school in both public and private institutions.
As Nika continues to weaken, PAGASA projects that the storm will exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) within 12 hours, bringing some relief to the affected areas. However, PAGASA urges the public and local disaster management agencies to remain vigilant and stay updated on the latest weather advisories as the situation unfolds.
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