Flights cancelled due to bad weather

CEBU, Philippines - The bad weather condition yesterday brought about by the low pressure area caused the cancellation of flights at the Mactan Cebu International Airport while those planes that already left Mactan returned.

MCIA general manager Paul Nigel Villarete said Cebu Pacific planes for Surigao, Ozamis and Butuan returned without landing at the destination due to bad weather.

Maryann Dimabayao of MCIA’s Public Affairs Department revealed that Cebu Pacific’s flight for Manila from Cebu and Air Philippines’ flight for Butuan were cancelled.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA),  Metro Cebu will experience cloudy skies with rain showers or thunderstorms today and will be partly cloudy with brief rain showers or thunderstorms in the next three days.

As of yesterday, there is no tropical cyclone within the Philippine Area of Responsibility, PAGASA said.

Yesterday’s heavy rains and floods in the Caraga Region have triggered the evacuation of thousands of residents and the suspension of classes.

The Regional Civil Defense Office could not provide the exact number of evacuees as of yesterday afternoon, but estimated that it would not reach hundreds of thousands.

“The evacuation has started but some residents stayed with their relatives,” said Blanche Gobenciong, Caraga director of the Office of Civil Defense.

Gobenciong said the evacuation was conducted yesterday morning in at least six barangays in Butuan City.

She said the floods rendered some barangay roads impassable, adding that the water level of Agusan River also rose due to continuous rains, affecting three barangays in San Luis, Agusan del Sur.

Gobenciong said classes were suspended in Surigao City, Dinagat Islands, Butuan City, Tandag City and Las Nieves and Magallanes towns in Agusan del Sur. (FREEMAN)