Floods hit Davao del Norte

MANILA – Rains spawned by the low pressure area (LPA) off Mindanao have triggered flooding in parts of Davao del Norte. Officials said parts of Asuncion town in Davao del Norte were hit by floods, forcing the suspension of classes and the evacuation of families in low-lying areas. In Barangay Sagayen in Asuncion, families living beside the river fled after the waters rose higher. Flooding was also reported in Veruela, Agusan del Sur and Butuan City, Agusan del Norte. State weather bureau PAGASA said as of 4 a.m. Thursday, the LPA was spotted 270 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. PAGASA weather forecaster Buddy Javier said the LPA will maintain its track and make landfall in the same province between Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, still as a LPA. "Kapag naglandfall yan posibleng ang buong Visayas at Mindanao ay makaranaas ng maulap na kalangitan," Javier told dzMM. Javier said the LPA is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Monday, March 24. Due to the LPA, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas and Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms. Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated light rains. Western Visayas will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains or thunderstorms.