TD' 'Agaton'/ICN 'Omais': 2,000 stranded in Visayas, Mindanao ports due to storm'; Sea travel from Cebu banned as ‘Agaton’ lashes province

2,000 stranded in Visayas, Mindanao ports due to storm
Faye Orellana - January 02, 2018 http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/956813/breaking-news-sea-travel-agaton-stra...

More than 2,000 people were barred from traveling by sea as Tropical Depression “Agaton” prevailed over much of the country.

As of 4 a.m. of Tuesday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that 2,308 passengers were stranded in ports in the Visayas and Mindanao due to bad weather.

The ports located in Northern Mindanao and southeastern Mindanao had 1,910 affected passengers while ports in Central and Eastern Visayas had 398, the PCG reported.

The Nasipit port in Butuan in Northen Mindanao had the highest number with 781 affected sea travelers. Mae Wess port in Davao and the Macabalan port in Cagayan de Oro followed with 370 and 310 affected passengers, respectively.

Meanwhile, 34 sea vessels and 66 rolling cargoes were also stranded because of rough seas.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, earlier warned sea travelers of risky travel over the eastern and western seaboards of the Visayas.

The weather bureau has raised cyclone warning signal number 1 in 14 provinces due to Agaton.

Sea travel from Cebu banned as ‘Agaton’ lashes province
Doris C. Bongcac - January 02, 2018 http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/956808/breaking-news-cebu-agaton-tropical-d...

CEBU CITY — Sea vessels in Cebu have been barred from leaving after the province was placed under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1 due to tropical depression “Agaton.”

Agaton was crossing the Bohol Sea and was about 95 kilometers east of Tagbilaran City, Bohol, at about 4 a.m., according to the 5 a.m. bulletin of the weather bureau.

It had maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometer per hour (kph) with gustiness of 90 kph.

In Cebu City, wind velocity was estimated at 25 to 30 kph with gustiness of 45 to 60 kph, said Councilor Dave Tumulak.

It has been raining in Cebu since Sunday night.

A minor landslide was reported near Mt. View in Barangay Busay. Soil covered a portion of the barangay road but it remained passable.

A fallen tree was also reported in Sitio Hoyohoy in Busay, said Councilor Kevin Sanchez.

In Mandaue City, water at the Butuanon River and Mahiga Creek had reached the critical level, said Felix Suico, head of the city’s disaster office.

Suico said water at the Mahiga Creek in Barangay Subangdaku started to overflow at 5:12 a.m.

“We are now evacuating the residents along the riverbanks,” he said.

In Alcoy town, two fallen trees obstructed the flow of traffic along the national highway near the boundary of Dalaguete town. The obstruction was cleared after an hour. /cbb