7 vessels grounded in Cebu ports due to ‘Onyok’

CEBU CITY — At least seven vessels bound for some Mindanao provinces and Ormoc City in Leyte were grounded in Cebu City ports because of tropical depression “Onyok” and the gale warning raised over Eastern Visayas.

More than 400 passengers were affected but only  59 were stranded in the terminal because most passengers decided to get refund and went home, according to Cebu Coast Guard Station commander Agapito Bibat.

Affected vessels for Mindanao were MV Filipinas Dumaguete bound for Surigao City, MV Filipinas Iligan for Ozamis City and Iligan City, MV Filipinas Butuan for Nasipit in Agusan del Norte, MV Trans Asia 10 for Cagayan de Oro City and MV Trans Asia 8 for Iligan City.

These areas were still under Storm Signal No. 1 because of Onyok, which was expected to make landfall Friday night in Surigao area.

But the weather bureau also issued a gale warning over the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon and Eastern Visayas on Friday.

Bibat said they had to bar small vessels with below 250 gross tonnage, affecting the MV Wesam Express 7 for Ormoc City and passenger motorbanca CA Christopher from Pulangbato Wharf in Bogo City, Cebu  bound for Ormoc City.

Oscar Tabada, director of the weather bureau in the Visayas, said the gale warning issued for Eastern Visayas and Southern Luzon was more of the surge of northeast monsoon or amihan.
Central Visayas was experiencing moderate rain, especially Southern Cebu which was nearer to Mindanao area.

Tabada said Central Visayas could also experience heavy rain on Saturday but the skies would clear by Saturday  up to Christmas Day.