Coast Guard grounds 11 vessels as ‘Ofel’ nears

CEBU CITY—The Coast Guard in Cebu on Tuesday grounded at least 11 vessels here, disrupting the travel plans of hundreds of passengers, due to Tropical Depression “Ofel.”

Most passengers waiting for their rides in different ports in the province had gone home after the announcement of the vessels’ grounding.

But 184 passengers had been stranded in ports in this city, Mandaue City, Bantayan and Camotes.

Capt. Rolando Punzalan, Cebu Coast Guard station commander, said the Coast Guard is just enforcing a policy to suspend sea travel in areas covered by Storm Signal No. 1.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has raised Storm Signal No. 1 in Leyte, Southern Leyte, Eastern and Western Samar, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Island, Surigao del Sur, the Agusan provinces and Camiguin Island.

The grounded vessels include those plying routes between Camotes Island and Ormoc City, Cebu City and Ormoc City and Cebu City and Leyte.

Punzalan said the Coast Guard also suspended the travel of vessels bound for Sagay, Negros Occidental and Estancia, Iloilo.

Oscar Tabada, Pagasa head in Mactan, said residents in northern Cebu should be on alert for Ofel. He said heavy rains are expected to pummel Cebu starting today.

The province, he said, is expected to experience up to 15 millimeters of rains.