Over 800 passengers, 400 trucks stranded at Sorsogon port as storm looms

LEGAZPI CITY – A total of  846 passengers, 423 cargo trucks and two light vehicles were stranded in Matnog port in Sorsogon province Tuesday night following the suspension of land travel to the Visayas and Mindanao  due to the threat of Severe Tropical Storm Odette.

Gremil Alexis Naz, Office of Civil Defense – Bicol spokesperson, said the vehicles were in the queuing area at Maharlika Highway in Barangay Manjumlad. 

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that “Odette” was last spotted approximately 755 kilometers east of Surigao del Sur.

The state weather bureau said the storm has a wind speed of 110 km per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 135 kph while moving northwest at 25 kph.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development in the region has prepositioned 27,661 family food packs and other non-food items for the six provinces in case evacuation of residents would be conducted.

 gsg