MANILA, Philippines (Updated 1:01 p.m.) — With the threat of super typhoon Rolly, all four of Metro Manila's rail lines, namely the Light Rail Transit lines 1 and 2, Metro Rail Transit-Line 3 and Philippine National Railways have been suspended until further notice, the transportation department said Sunday.
This comes after state weather bureau PAGASA placed the National Capital Region under Signal No. 4, indicating the risk of "very heavy damage to high–risk structures and heavy damage to medium risk structures" in a locality that "is very likely to be hit directly by the eye of the typhoon."
Related Stories
"Please be informed that LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3 will suspend their respective operations effective immediately...Passengers and employees who are already on trains and stations will be ferried to their destinations," the transportation department said in a statement.
Operations along the EDSA Busway, however, continue amid the typhoon.
In a separate advisory, PNR general manager Junn Magno said: "Due to severe weather condition brought about by typhoon Rolly, Train service of PNR is temporarily suspended until further notice."
"MSC 1008 leaving Tutuban station at 10:06 AM will be the sweeper train to ferry all remaining passengers and personnel. Bicol Commuter Train already suspended effective opening of business hours. Operation, Engineering, RSM and Security Personnel are hereby placed on high-alert status," he also said.
Later Sunday noon, the Department of Transportation announced that the EDSA Busway Consortium would also suspend its operations starting 1 p.m. on Sunday.
"Due to the inclement weather, and considering that the National Capital Region (NCR) is under typhoon signal no. 4, the EDSA busway consortium will suspend their operations at 1:00PM today," it said in a road sector advisory.
Earlier, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said its predictive analytics suggested that between 19 to 31 million Filipinos will possibly be affected by the storm based on the population count in the areas within the typhoon track.
PAGASA in its advisories is warning of flooding, rain-induced landslides, and possibly even lahar flows due to prolonged rainfall.
— Franco Luna