By Jel Santos At least 6.6 million students in four regions have been affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano, the Department of Education (DepEd) reported on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila/DEPED/MANILA BULLETIN) The Education Department said the classes of 6, 639, 044 students have been suspended because of the hazard posed by ash fall particles in the ambient air. The four regions affected are the National Capital Region (NCR), Region III, IV-A, and IV-B. DepEd data showed that the area with most number of affected students was Region III with 2, 347, 281 affected learners at 3, 647 affected schools. Among the four affected regions, the region with the least affected students was Region IV-B with a total of 166, 171 students affected at 411 affected schools. In the NCR, the number of affected learners was 2, 063, 087, while there were 2, 007, 281 affected students in Region IV-A. DepEd reported that 35 schools with 144 classrooms in Region IV-A (divisions of Cavite, Tanauan City, and Batangas) have been used as evacuation sites. The 144 classrooms are housing 1, 174 families or 9, 388 individuals. In a memorandum, DepEd Undersecretary for Administration Alain Pascua advised schools within the permanent danger zones and high-risk barangays to observe precautionary measures. He advised principals, teachers, and other school personnel to use N95 respiratory masks or a damp cloth or towel or two surgical masks with two layers of tissue in between; wear a hat, long sleeves, and long pants; and wear eye glasses or goggles to protect their eyes from ash fall. Pascua also told them to carefully clean school buildings and surroundings. “If safe to do so, remove accumulated ash fall in the roofs and gutters regularly to prevent damage. After removing ash, clean the roofs and gutters with water to prevent corrosion.”