Visayas braces for ‘Samuel’

SAFETY Families from a riverside community in Surigao City take shelter in a covered court at Barangay Washington to ensure their safety as Tropical Depression “Samuel” approaches provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao. —ERWIN MASCARIÑAS

Tropical Depression “Samuel” is expected to bring rains over a large part of the Visayas in the next two days, the government weather bureau said on Tuesday.

“It is considered a weak typhoon … [but] we should not take it for granted,” said weather specialist Benny Estareja in a press briefing.

Samuel was expected to make landfall over Samar and Dinagat Islands on Tuesday night, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

“There is no specific time or location where ‘Samuel’ will make landfall since it does not have a defined center. It will wobble around the areas in Visayas for the next 36 hours,” Estareja said.

At 1 p.m. Tuesday, the center of the tropical depression was estimated at 260 kilometers east of Maasin City, Southern Leyte province, or 185 km east southeast of Guiuan town, Eastern Samar province.

It was carrying maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 65 kph, and was moving at a west northwest direction at 20 kph.

Storm warning

Storm warning Signal No. 1 had been hoisted over a large part of Mindanao, including Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Misamis Oriental and Camiguin.

These areas will experience moderate to heavy rains which may trigger flooding and landslides

STRANDED Passengers are stranded at Cebu City’s port after Philippine Coast Guard officials suspended sea travel due to strong winds and rains accompanying Tropical Depression “Samuel.” —JUNJIE MENDOZA/Cebu Daily News

In the Visayas, Signal No. 1 was raised over Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan and Antique.

Also under Signal No. 1 were the provinces of Masbate, including Ticao Island, Romblon, southern Oriental Mindoro, southern Occidental Mindoro and Northern Palawan, including Cuyo Island and Calamian Group of Islands.

Samuel is expected to be out of the Philippine area of responsibility on Thursday night.

Sea travel suspended

Classes were suspended in most provinces in the Visayas on Tuesday as local disaster response councils prepared for the onslaught of Samuel.

Sea travel, especially on small seacraft, had been suspended, stranding thousands of passengers at ports in the provinces of Cebu, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Capiz, Samar, Iloilo, Negros Oriental, Eastern Samar, Aklan, Antique, Northern Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte and Biliran.

While the storm had yet to hit land, power interruptions were reported in several towns in Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar and Biliran due to strong winds that affected power lines.

In Bohol, 143 families (525 people) in Candijay town had been staying in evacuation centers since Monday as part of a preemptive measure to ensure their safety as Samuel’s rains might trigger floods and landslides, local officials said.

Zero casualty

“We aim for zero casualty. It is better for them to just stay at the evacuation centers in the meantime,” said Jeryl Lacang-Fuentes, local disaster risk reduction and management officer.

In Caraga region, at least 2,000 people (363 families) left their homes in landslide-prone areas in Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur on Tuesday.

More than 400 passengers were stranded at ports in Surigao City after trips to Leyte, Siargao and Dinagat Islands were canceled.

In Southern Luzon, close to 2,000 passengers were stranded at ports in Bicol and Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) regions, after the Philippine Coast Guard enforced a “no sailing policy.” —With reports from Joey Gabieta, Nestle Semilla, Nestor Burgos Jr., Leo Udtohan, Erwin Mascariñas, Maricar Cinco and Mar Arguelles