VIRAC, Catanduanes, Philippines – At least three towns were isolated from the rest of the provincial center by a landslide triggered by rains brought on by typhoon Pedring (international name: Nesat).
The landslide occurred early Monday at Kilometer 37, Sitio Malikbisik, Barangay P. Vera, in Vega town and closed the vehicular traffic leading to the towns of Viga, Panganiban and Bagamanoc, according to reports reaching the Provincial Disaster Risk Reducation Management Council (PDRRMC) here.
At least 462 passengers, six trucks and one bus were also reported stranded at the port in Tabaco in Albay.
Over 300 passengers in Quezon province were also stranded due to the typhoon, the Philippine Coast Guard said Monday.
In the Talao-Talao port here, 279 Marinduque-bound passengers were stranded since Sunday afternoon as the PCG suspended the voyage of inter-island ships due to rough seas.
The stranded travellers were temporarily staying at the two-story port terminal in the village of Talao-Talao.
Lieutenant Joel Ogorida, commander of the PCG Lucena district station, said they had stopped giving sea travel permits since Sunday afternoon.
Ogorida also called local radio stations and advised fishermen to stay away from the sea and temporarily refrain from fishing.
In Real, Quezon, Senior Chief Petty Officer Santiago Velasco, PCG station commander in the area, said only 35 passengers bound for the island towns of Polilio were stranded.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, said Pedring would make landfall in the provinces of Quezon and Aurora Tuesday morning.
Quezon Gov. David Suarez has ordered the provincial disaster risk reduction and management council to stay on alert since Sunday.
In Camarines Norte, Gov. Edgardo Tallado said they have been closely monitoring the levels of the Busig-on and Labo Rivers, which might overflow and cause flash floods as rains have been pouring since Sunday.
The municipal government of Labo, a flood-prone town, is keeping watch of the National Highway, a portion of which is prone to landslides.