Governor Fongwan Declares Suspension Of Classes In All Levels In Benguet On August 24 (Monday)

Governor Nestor Fongwan has declared the suspension of all classes in all levels in both public and private schools in the whole province of Benguet for August 24 (Monday). According to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC), this is to ensure that pupils, students, and school employees are safe from illnesses, accidents, and other threats that may arise due to what's been wrought by typhoon Ineng.

Typhoon Ineng has already weakened and is well on its way out of the country but it has left huge portions of Northern Luzon susceptible to landslides and flooding. The rains also continue to pour. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the typhoon (so far) took 14 lives and injured 11 others. Ineng also took down bridges as well as caused numerous landslides that shut down several roads and highways in Luzon.

The provinces in the Cordillera region took the most damage from Ineng. The Baguio-Bontoc road (Halsema Highway) is closed as of today because of several landslides along its stretch especially the washout that occurred in a portion of the road in Tublay.

Additionally, rescue operations are ongoing in Taneg, Mankayan, Benguet where at least a dozen people were reported missing when their homes were carried away by flashfloods on Saturday. As of today, the lifeless bodies of four of those reported missing have been recovered by rescuers.

Photo by Daniel Feliciano/The Cordilleran Sun