Over 25,000 passengers stranded in ports on Christmas Day
MANILA, Philippines — More than 25,000 individuals spent the early hours of Christmas Day stranded in various ports because of Typhoon Ursula, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Wednesday.
As of 4 a.m. Wednesday, a total of 25,122 passengers were stranded in ports in Bicol, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Southern Tagalog, Northern Mindanao, Western Visayas, and Southern Visayas, the PCG said.
Meanwhile, operations of 2,700 rolling cargoes, 30 motorbancas, and 169 vessels were also temporarily suspended and 113 vessels and 21 motorbancas were docked.
(Photos show the breakdown of stranded port passengers as of 4 a.m. Dec. 25. Photos from PCG)
Ursula slightly intensified on Wednesday, prompting the state weather bureau to place some areas under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3.
As of 4 a.m., the eye of Ursula was spotted at 40 kilometers east northeast of Roxas City, Capiz.
It packs maximum sustained winds of up yo 140 km per hour near the center and gusts of up to 195 kph, Pagasa said.
Ursula is moving west-northwest at 25 kph and was over the Jintolo Channel north of Iloilo as of 5 a.m.
