LEGAZPI CITY –– Land and sea travels to Visayas and Mindanao were canceled Tuesday after the state weather bureau hoisted storm signal number one over Bicol as the region prepares for the effects of Tropical Storm (TS) “Dante” (international name: Choi-wan), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in the region said.
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Bicol issued Monday a directive canceling inbound trips of public provincial buses, vans, private cars, trucks, and other motor vehicles bound for the Visayas, Mindanao, Catanduanes, and Masbate provinces.
Francisco Ranches Jr., LTO Bicol chief, issued the directive to caution people about the looming threat of TS Dante.
Ranches said in an advisory that the suspension of trips starts midnight Tuesday.
The temporary cancellation of inbound land travel would prevent congestion on Maharlika Highway in various major ports in Sorsogon and Albay.
Matnog Port in Sorsogon is Southern Luzon’s main jump-off to Samar Island and the rest of the Visayas and Mindanao.
Gremil Alexis Naz, OCD Bicol spokesperson, said the Philippine Coast Guard in Bicol had directed all its units to enforce the “no sailing” policy in all major ports in Bicol.
The Pio Duran town Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reported that it had stopped since Monday the sailing of a roll-on, roll-off vessel bound for Masbate province. This stranded hundreds of passengers and several buses, trucks, and cars.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration Bulletin said the storm was located 290 km Northeast of Surigao City in Surigao del Norte, packing winds of 75 km per hour and gustiness of up to 90 km per hour, moving Northwestward with a speed of 20 km per hour.
Dante would bring stormy weather over the provinces of Samar, while rains with gusty wind were expected in Bicol and the rest of Eastern Visayas and Caraga.