Passengers stranded as rough seas halt sea travel in Cebu, Bohol

Local

A TOTAL of 94 passengers have been left stranded in various ports across Bohol and Cebu on Friday, July 10 as rough seas, driven by Typhoon Inday's (international name: Bavi) enhanced southwest monsoon, continue to batter the region.

In a situation report as of 12 p.m. Friday, July 10, the Philippine Coast Guard in Central Visayas (PCG) confirmed that several trips in here remained suspended, as authorities kept vessels and motorized bancas grounded amid deteriorating sea conditions.

Central Cebu logged the most cancellations, with six in Cebu City, two each in the ports of Toledo City, Lapu-Lapu City and Olango, and one each in Danao City and Cordova.

In northern Cebu, voyages of vessels 35 gross tons (GT) and below were suspended in Bogo City, Daanbantayan and Camotes; vessels of 3 GT and below were barred in Madridejos and Tabogon; and Asturias suspended vessels of 15 GT and below.

All motorized bancas were grounded in Malapascua. Southern Cebu saw one route cancelled, from Mainit Port in Oslob to Dipolog City.

In Bohol, five trips were cancelled in Ubay, three in Jagna, and one each in Pitogo and Talibon. Motorized banca activity was suspended in Panglao, with one trip each also cancelled in Getafe and Tubigon.

The PCG said 18 vessels and 17 motorized bancas have taken shelter in ports, while six vessels and 30 motorized bancas remain stranded. Ninety-seven rolling cargo shipments were also left stranded.

In its 11 a.m. severe weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration's (Pagasa) reported Typhoon Inday continuing to weaken as it moved northwestward toward the sea east of Taiwan.

The typhoon's center was estimated 570 kilometers east of Itbayat, Batanes, moving northwestward at 20 kph, with maximum sustained winds of 140 kph and gusts of up to 170 kph.

No wind signal has been raised over the Visayas or Mindanao. Wind signals remain confined to Batanes, Babuyan Islands and parts of mainland Cagayan in Luzon.

But the state weather bureau stressed that its presence has strengthened the prevailing habagat affecting Visayas and Mindanao, resulting in scattered moderate to heavy rainshowers with lightning which Cebu is currently experiencing.

Pagasa also hoisted gale warnings over seaboards in the Visayas, including Cebu and Bohol, among areas facing moderate to rough seas of up to 2 meters, driven by Inday's periphery and the enhanced southwest monsoon.

Motorbancas and similarly sized vessels are advised to take precautionary measures and, if possible, avoid navigation.

Inday is expected to pass closest to extreme Northern Luzon between Friday night and Saturday morning before moving toward southern Japan and northern Taiwan, Pagasa said.

It is forecasted to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Saturday and make landfall over eastern China by Saturday evening.(RBE)