Bacolod City and eight local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental canceled classes at all levels yesterday after the state weather bureau issued a heavy rainfall advisory.

Classes were canceled in the cities of Bacolod, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, San Carlos, Silay, Talisay, and Victorias; and in the towns of E.B. Magalona and Pulupandan.

An orange rainfall warning issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, was still up in the municipalities of Candoni, Cauayan, Hinoba-an, and Ilog; and the cities of Himamaylan, Kabankalan and Sipalay, as of 11:00 a.m. yesterday.

Residents in low-lying areas were warned of flash floods, and landslides in mountainous areas.

The yellow warning level was also raised for the rest of Negros Occidental, which states that “flooding is possible in low-lying areas and landslides in mountainous areas.”

On Wednesday evening, May 3, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson declared a blue alert status at the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Emergency Operation Center due to the low pressure area (LPA).

The LPA “embedded along the inter-tropical convergence zone, will bring continuous rains, possible flooding, and landslides.”

“The alert status is hereby raised immediately until the weather condition improves,” Lacson said.

He also encouraged continuous monitoring of weather conditions in all localities in the province and the submission of preparedness measures and updates./With a report from PNA / WDJ