TACLOBAN CITY, Nov. 24 -- Some local government units in Eastern Visayas suspended classes on Monday as Tropical Depression Verbena dumped heavy rains in the region.

Class suspension directives prompted thousands of students to return home after heading to school early Monday morning. Some schools even held indoor flag-raising ceremonies before the announcements of local authorities.

In Tacloban City, Vice Mayor Raymund Romualdez posted on his official Facebook page that public elementary and high school classes are suspended.

The city and several areas in the region are under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1. An orange rainfall warning was also raised in Leyte Island due to the weather disturbance.

The orange rainfall adviso...