NAIA resumes flight, ground ops after red lightning alert

Flight and ground operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were briefly suspended Friday after state weather bureau PAGASA issued a red lightning alert.

According to the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), PAGASA issued the lightning alert at 3:30 p.m. It was lifted and downgraded to a yellow lightning alert at 3:41 p.m.

The MIAA said the advisory was issued as a safety measure "to prevent untoward incidents from happening when lightning is prevalent in the immediate area and may endanger personnel, passengers and even flight operations."

Earlier in the day, PAGASA issued a thunderstorm advisory over Metro Manila and six provinces, saying moderate to heavy rain showers with lightning and strong winds were expected over these areas.

Meanwhile, in its latest bulletin, the weather bureau said the southwest monsoon or Habagat was affecting the western sections of Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Habagat may bring cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms may prevail over Quezon, MIMAROPA, Western Visayas, BARMM, Zamboanga Peninsula, SOCCSKSARGEN, and Northern Mindanao.

Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms may prevail over Metro Manila, the rest of CALABARZON, Zambales, and Bataan.

The rest of the country may experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorms. — VDV, GMA Integrated News