‘Sendong’ strands close to 8,000 in various Visayas, Mindanao ports

MANILA, Philippines—Nearly 8,000 people were stranded in ports across the Visayas and northern Mindanao due to Tropical Storm Sendong, the Philippine Coast Guard said Saturday.

PCG spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Algier Ricafrente said 7,755 passengers were stranded on Friday as the storm hit northern Mindanao. The number had gone down 5,040 people by 10 a.m. Saturday.

Ricafrente said the port of Iloilo had the most stranded passengers with 1,469, followed by 1,017 in Cagayan de Oro.

He said 520 people sought temporary shelter in Dumaguete, 627 in Maasin, nine in Catbalogan, 380 in Surigao, 127 in Butuan, 132 in Dapitan, 35 in Ozamis, 710 in Bacolod, four in Roxas and 10 in San Jose de Buena Vista.

Ricafrente said PCG search-and-rescue personnel and rubber boats were deployed to areas that were badly hit by flashfloods.

Two PCG 35-meter ships were also placed on standby, he said.

“We might also shift our search-and-rescue operation because there are reports that some homes were washed away by the flashfloods and the people might have been carried out to sea,” Ricafrente said.

He  said that a cargo vessel–M/V Ever Transport III was carried by strong waves to shallow waters off Dumaguete City.

“The report we received is that the vessel is listing on its port or left side,” Ricafrente said. “We are already checking if there is any oil spill or if it is lying on rocky or sandy ground.”

Ricafrente said the ships 34-member crew were rescued and safely brought ashore.